I don't have a title yet
by S. Wright
Summary: Usagi and Darien are working together to find the Silver Crystal and the Moon Princess. Along the way they are trying to have a normal life.
1. The Dark Kingdom: Introduction

This is an A/U fic set in Sailor Moon R series. The Senshi haven't found the Princess or the crystal yet. Tux is here and so are the Generals and they are with him. And for a wild change, Darien and Usagi are dating and they know each other's secret identities.

So read, review, and tell me what you think, but no flames, alright. I am open to all objective criticism.

As stated before, be kind and just enjoy the story. No one is paying me to write this, it's just for fun.

I don't own Sailor Moon; I'm just a fan.

**NO FLAMES. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS THEN DON'T READ IT.  
**

**Part I**

**The Dark Kingdom**

**Prologue**

Long silver blonde danced merrily in the light summer breeze. Happy laughter filled the entire courtyard causing the birds in the trees and the small animals on the ground to stop and watch with wonder as the tiny sprite chased her friends about stone covered yard.

A girl with long, inky black hair squealed and dodged the girl's hands. She darted behind a petite girl with a cap of dark bluish-black hair and the two girls screamed and ran away from their friend.

The blonde girl stopped in the center of the yard and collapsed to her knees. Her small pert face was flush from exercise and joy. The other two girls soon followed suite. They looked at each other and then burst out into hysterical laughter.

"Oh, this was much more fun than spending the day at the Arcade." The blonde raised her face to the warm sun and closed her eyes.

"Or the mall or the movies." The girl with the long black hair said. She rested her head on the left shoulder of her blue haired friend. "What was that game were just playing, Usa-chan?"

"Tag." The blonde supplied.

"_Hai_, it was fun."

Usa lowered face to look down at the two girls, a soft smile gracing her lips. "I can't believe that you two never played tag as children."

The one with short hair blushed, "It is kind of hard to do such things when you are always in school." She confessed.

"The other children did not want to play with me." The other said softly, "Everyone though I was weird or strange because I lived here with my grandpa." She smiled then. "But we have each other now, and you, Usagi. You are our friend and you helped us become friends."

"Thank you, Rei and Ami." Usagi said sincerely, "But my friendship comes with a heavy price." She closed her eyes and two fat tears slipped from their seam to roll gently down her face. To her surprise, Usagi found herself in the center of a group hug.

The girls were laughing again, this time pulling Usagi from her melancholy.

"I wish we could always be like this."

Cast List.

Serena (Usagi to most, Buns to Darien) Rensselaer -Tsukino-15

Darien Mamoru Chiba-Shields-17

Ami Mizuno-15 (Sailor Mercury)

Rei Hino-16 (Sailor Mars)

Lindsey Brita Rensselaer-Kino -18 (Sailor Jupiter)

Wilhelmina (Mina) Aino -19 (Sailor Venus)

Hotaru Tomoe-19 (Sailor Saturn)

Anastasia (Alex) Larisa Alexandrova-18 (Sailor Uranus)

Trista Meiou-21 (Sailor Pluto)

David Rothschild-19 (Kunzite)

Francisco (Frankie) Jaen Alvarez de la Santa Maria del Toro-18 (Jadeite)

Jiro Satoshi-Carter-19 (Nephrite)

Joshua Anderson-17 (Zoisite)

Extras:

Luna

Artemis Aino

Andrew

Eiji Kaiou (he was Greg, but now he is Michiru's brother.)

Samuel Shingo Rensselaer-Tsukino

Kenji Tsukino

Ilene Rensselaer-Tsukino

Dr. Marie Mizuno

Grandpa Hino

and the villains.

**One**

**1**

Usagi Tsukino trudged into the Crown Arcade feeling the weight of the world on her slim shoulders. Entrance exam loomed in the horizons and her math grade was just barely hanging on to a low C. And to make matters worst, that cat was getting on her last good nerve.

She glanced at her watch/communicator it was only three-thirty. Ami would still be in school and Rei was visiting her with her father. Usagi found an empty booth in the back of diner part and decided to wait for Ami. She pulled out her homework for the next day and started on it. She sat in silence for fifteen minutes before someone dropped into the bench across her. She looked up and groaned.

"If it isn't nerd-boy." She muttered. She tried to bury her nose in her Literature book only to have it plucked from her hands. "Hey," she cried.

Her tormentor grinned down at her angry little face. "You haven't spoken to me in two days, Usa," his dark blue eyes reflected the fear that did not show on his face. "Are you still mad because I didn't tell you I was Tuxedo Kaman?"

Usagi shook her head, "No. I didn't tell you I was Sailor Moon. However, I am upset about Trista Meiou." She took her book back and pouted, "What's going on with you and her, Darien?"

"Nothing," he told her. He reached for her hands and laced their fingers. "I was just asked to tutor her in organic chemistry, that all, Buns." His smiled charmingly at her. "Besides, she's too old for me. I like to be oldest in a relationship."

Usagi blushed. "Yeah, well, how old she anyway?"

"Twenty-one, I think." He kissed the knuckles on her right hand.

"You look like you're about that age." She said falling into the spell he was creating.

"Well there is a difference of being twenty-something and looking like it. Besides, I am oblivious to all the members of the fairer sex, except for you." He nibbled on ridge created by her knuckles. "So are we still on for Friday night?"

Usagi nodded. "My parents say its okay, but I have curfew at eleven-thirty."

"That's cool; I have to teach an undergrad anatomy class for one of my professors Saturday morning."

"That's my boyfriend, the super genius of all of Japan." She said softly. "You want to wait with me until Ami shows up?"

Darien looked torn, "You know I do." He kissed her hand a final time and he stood up. "But I gotta help Frankie with his chemistry lab or he will blow the place up."

"KO University must be saved from the Spanish Menace." She still pouted. "Call me soon?" She asked hopefully.

"I'll call you tonight, babe." He swooped down for a quick kiss and then another before he reluctantly tore himself away from her. "Love me?"

"Of course," she smiled up at him.

Darien touched her face tenderly. "Good, because I love you." He saw his friend at the counter and called, "Drew, get Usagi whatever she wants and put it on my tab." He kissed Usagi again and then left. Frankie was going to owe him big for this.

Usagi watched her boyfriend leave, a small smile on her lips as her lips as he passed by the window near her and he blew her a kiss.

Someone touched the top of her head. Usagi looked up and smiled brightly. "Hi, Drew." She said to the sandy haired youth. "What's up?"

"A penny for your thoughts, bunny?" Andrew sat down in the seat Darien had vacated. He slid a chocolate shake under her nose.

"Oh, it's nothing." She said airily. Her smile lost some of its light. She bit her bottom lip as she looked up at him through her lashes. "Hey Drew, do you know Trista Meiou?" She asked nervously.

"Yeah, she's a premed at KO U." He told her. "Why you want to know?"

Usagi looked away, a slight flush stained her pretty face. "Well, I heard something—" She picked at the hem of her skirt, embarrassed that she was actually doing this. "Actually, Lita was talking to her friend Hotaru Tomoe—"

"Sam's girlfriend, right? Yeah I know her. We have a couple classes together." He said. "What did she say to Lita?"

"Well, Hotaru said that she over heard that this Trista girl talking to your ex-girlfriend, Reika. She was asking a lot of questions about Darien and—"

"Whoa!" Andrew sat up sharply. "Usa, I know Trista and I know she's not interested in Darien, in spite of what witch Reika might have said to Hotaru."

"But…" She tried to protest but Andrew cut her off.

"There's no doing it, Trista knows that Dare is in a serious and committed relationship." He leaned forward slightly and she did too. "She also knows that Darien is just a kid so she's leaving him alone."

"You sure?" She did not like to be so uncertain.

"Yeah," Andrew smiled at her. "I'm sure."

"Yo, Drew," a guy with close cropped silvery blond hair and dark gray eyes shouted at he cuffed the arcade manager. "If Dare saw you that close to his precious baby, he'd rip you a new one buddy." He stooped to kiss Usagi's right cheek. "How's it going, babe?"

"I'm fine, Dave." She laughed as he ruffled her hair. "Hey have you seen Sam?"

"Yeah, he's at the house helping Jiro and Josh put together our new sound system. Man, Drew, you won't believe that thing. Two of the speakers are about as tall as Usa." He sat down as she made room for him. "Where's the cover boy anyway?"

"Chemistry lab with Frankie." She told him.

Andrew sputtered, Dave was staring at her in horror. "Oh, God, I though that idiot was taking plain old safe Earth Science." He cried.

"God, I hope Darien gets there in time." Andrew said feverently. "Who in their right mind would give Frankie chemicals?"

"Usagi?" Ami Mizuno said softly. The two handsome young men looked up. "Hi." She said nervously.

"Ami," Usagi waved her into booth. Andrew scooted down to make room for her. "You remember Andrew." He smiled at her as she sat down. "This is one of Darien's housemates, David Rothschild."

"Hi, Ami," Dave stuck out his right hand. "Are you coming to Usa's cousin's party this Saturday?"

"I don't know—" She said quietly.

"Of course she is." Usagi pushed her milkshake before Ami. "How was school?"

"Fine." She looked down at her hands.

Andrew looked over at her uniform and frowned, "You don't go to Juuban High?"

"No," Usagi said with a hint of pride, "Ami is a senior at Infinity College. She's studying to be a doctor just like Darien."

Ami blushed deeply. "Darien Chiba-Shields is a legend in many academic circles…I will never be as in the same league as he…"

"Anyway," Usagi said loudly, ending the extolling of Darien's qualities. "Ami, you're coming to my house for dinner with these guys." She looked at Andrew pointedly. "Are you off the clock yet?

"Yes, dear."

"Then we should go before Sam gets back with Josh and Jiro or we won't get anything." She shoved at Dave. "C'mon. Move. Lita's making tortellini and her special sauce."

**2**

"Are you sure you want two want to have this discussion now, Sailor Moon?" Mercury slapped a sharp projectile that was coming at her head with tin trashcan.

"You're right, Merc." Sailor Moon whipped off her tiara and charged it. "Kamen, I need a distraction over here."

The dark cloaked warrior slammed his right foot in the dark General's neck. "I am busy right now, Moon." He said through gritted teeth as he ducked Jedite's flying fist. He caught the out flung arm and pulled the general in to meet his fist. There was a satisfying crunch as he broke Jedite's nose and two front teeth. But Tux boy did not stop there. He rammed his knee into Jedite's chest a few times, his knee connected with the sternum each time until it snapped under the constant assault. Jedite coughed up black blood. He tried desperately to retaliate against the masked warrior, but Tuxedo Kamen nimbly sidestepped him and the dark general fell to the ground. He laid there, hacking up chunks of black clotted blood. Tuxedo Kamen pulled out his cane; he released the hidden trigger and withdrew a sword.

Jedite saw his death coming towards him with slow, precise steps.

"_Moon Frisbee_." The golden haired Senshi of the Moon called out and Jedite knew he was alone.

Tuxedo Kamen raised his sword and started to bring the blade down when out of the blue; a ball of black fur attacked him. He yanked the creature from his face, tossed it aside, and turned back to his prey, but that small reprieve provided the dark warrior chance to escape. Kamen ripped off his mask and swore.

"Luna!" Both Sailor Moon and Mercury shouted as they hurried over to the tuxedo clad warrior and the stunned looking cat. "What did you do?" Sailor Moon snatched the cat up from the ground.

Luna automatically assumed the pig-tailed bun-wearing girl was talking to the young man, but got a jolt when Sailor Moon turned on her. "Do you know how long it took us to set this up?" She ranted. "We had Jedite. We had him. That would have been one less enemy out of the way and what did you do—" She had to put Luna down fast or that cat would have been flying into the bushes.

"We are extremely disappointed in you, Luna." Mercury stated coldly.

"What are you both going on about?" cried the flabbergasted little animal. "I was stopping that man from becoming a murderer."

"Murderer?" Darien whirled on the cat. "That thing was not human. It was vomiting black blood and green slime was leaking from its wounds."

Moon moved in between the man and the cat. Darien took a step back and turned away from them. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek on his back.

"Damn it, Buns. We were so close." He blew a deep breath and hung his head.

"I know." She said softly. "We'll get him next time."

"There may not be a next time," Darien turned around and looked down into her eyes gravely. "Buns, we took a serious risk tonight. With Mars out, it was only you and Mercury—No offense, Merc." He called out to the blue Senshi.

"None taken, Kamen."

"While I was fighting with Jedite, all I could think about was coming to you. Even when you called to me as per our plan, I fighting to stay focused on my target and not to go running to you."

"But you didn't and that show that you have this I don't 'lojack' on me under control."

Darien could not help but to smile at her description of his sense. "Yeah, well next time—"

"Stop worrying about a next time, Darien." She pleaded. "Next time, we're going lock Luna in a cage and we're going take out Jedite."

A teasing grin broke out on his face. "You promise?"

"About Jedite?" She said, "Yeah, you bet—"

"No, dear heart," he slipped his arms about her waist and easily lifted her from the ground and brought her to his eye level. "I was talking about the cage." He drawled.

Usagi smiled lazily into his eyes as she slowly draped her arms around his neck. "Oh, yeah. That is a promise, you buy the cage and I will defiantly lock that kitty in my basement."

"Sounds good." He leaned in to brush his lips against hers. "I'll pick one up tomorrow."

Behind them, Mercury coughed loudly. "Hey, guys. Can that wait until later? Usa and I snuck out of her house and if her parents find out that we---"

"Oh, crap!" Darien put Usagi down quickly. "I was supposed to give Eiji and Josh a ride to the Kou Brothers' party." He swooped in for a quick kiss, leaving Usagi a little stunned. "Will you two be alright getting home?"

"Yeah," Mercury demorphed leaving a tired looking Ami who was dressed in sweatpants, running shoes, and a tee shirt that read _Infinity College Girls' Swim Team._ Usagi was in a similar outfit, but her tee shirt had picture of Bart Simpson giving the finger and caption that read 'I don't give an f, man.' It was not a cute little bunny and Lita was going to kill her for taking it.

"One day, Lita's going to rip you a new one for stealing her clothes." Darien told her.

"Don't worry about me." She told him. "But you, buddy." She waved a tiny fist beneath his nose menacingly. "You better behave at this party. You know Frankie is a big snitch."

"Yes, dear." He kissed her again. "I'll be on my best behavior. I'm one of the drivers remember." He tipped his head in Ami's direction, "See you later, Ami. Good luck on that exam."

"Good bye, Darien and thank you."

"And you, pretty lady." He kissed her again. "I'll pick you up in the morning. Bye."

"Bye." She touched his face tenderly. "I love you."

"Of course you," he winked at her as he backed away. "I'm your dream guy. Love you." And he left them.

Usagi watched him go, she sighed and then turned back to her friend and smiled brightly. "Since Lita and Sam went to that party, how about we stay up and watch a movie and eat some of Lita's fudge brownies?"

"Usagi," Ami shook her head and laughed. "Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea."

"Well let's make that wonderful idea into a great one. I'll make us both hot fudge brownie sundaes."


	2. The Dark Kingdom: Chapter II

**Two**

**1**

"Usagi!" Her cousin screamed, "When I get my hands on you!"

The petite blonde super heroine of Tokyo fell out of the open front window and right into the hedges but she did not stay down for long. Usagi pushed herself up on her hands and knees and scrambled away in an odd crawl walk/run before she completely pushed herself to her feet. The terrified girl a desperate last ditch effort for the front walkway but came to skidding to a halt as her pursuer came barreling out of the front door.

"Usa." The tall, strawberry-blonde haired girl lunged at her cousin. "Get back here."

"NO!" Usagi horrified screams could have been heard a mile away. "You are not going to make me do that Lita! You can't!" She finished shrilly.

But the older girl was without sympathy. This was the final straw for her temper and right now she was looking for a reason to put that horrid little back rodent (not cat) in the grinder. "You will clean up that mess or so help me, I will tell Aunt Ilene about that stash of chocolate in your closet."

"I don't care." Usagi leapt nimbly over a hedge and landed in her mother's vegetable garden. She carefully picked her way through it and when she made it out, the larger girl tackled Usagi to the ground. "No!" She cried, "Please, Lita, don't make me do this! I swear that I will stop eating your homework just don't make me do this."

"Hell no." Lita stood up and hauled the girl up too. "That cat hacked up three hairballs in my spinach pasta and that little rodent knocked over my homemade citrus punch." She slammed her cousin on her feet like a spade. "Now, you will get in there and clean that mess up. My guests will be here in two hours along with your friends. I have to now make tomato and basil pasta to replace the spinach and create a punch to go with the hors d'oeuvres that I haven't finish making." She yelled in Usagi's face. "You will clean up after that cat and lock it in the basement." That was not a request.

Usagi shrank back from her cousin's rage. "Alright." She squeaked.

"Fantastic." Lita said grimly. "You don't put that cat back in its cage, if I see her again, I'm making fur ball soup. 'Kay?" And she marched back into the house, her long braid slapping the center of back like a whip.

Usagi cringed. Then she became angry. That damned cat was getting on her last good nerve. Muttering to herself, Usagi stalked back into the house. She cleaned up the spilled punch on the sideboard table, changed the table linens, and tossed the hairballs. When everything was restored to its proper order, Usagi helped Lita finished her meal.

"So, who's Hotaru bringing?" Usagi asked. She risked this attempt at civility to see if Lita had regained a measure of control over her emotions.

Lita was calm. Cooking always helped when she was stressed. She flashed little cousin a smile as she slipped her antipasto tray into the refrigerator. "No one special. Usa, be careful with those quail eggs. I don't have time to buy any more---" She looked closely at her cousin's mouth and her eyes narrowed. "Are you eating the caviar?"

"No," she told her. But the tell-tale blush gave her away.

"Usa." She a put a hand to brow to rub away the headache she could feel coming. "I don't know whose worst, you or Uncle Kenji."

Usagi felt bad, "I'm sorry, Li, I'm just hungry. I didn't have breakfast this morning." This was the truth. She had been at Rei's temple all morning helping her grandfather with chores.

Lita went over to her cousin and threw an arm about her shoulders. "Sam told me about your new friend—what's her name, Rei?" Usagi nodded, "Yeah, he said that she was injured when one of the mutant critters attacked those kids at her family's Shrine yesterday."

"Yeah," she pushed work aside, propped her elbows on the counter, and dropped her head in her hands. "Rei was so brave and selfless."

"Luckily for her those two girls and that guy in the tux's showed up and your friend walked away with only a sprained wrist and concussion. She could have seriously been hurt." Lita rubbed Usagi's back absently. "Some tourist got the whole thing on film. Can you believe it? Man, those kids are rough! I'd hate to have come across them on a bad day." She smiled down at the smaller girl with her trademark cheerfulness. "After the party, how about I drive you over there with a basket filled with my special chocolate chip cookies and some of this pasta."

"Did Sam invite Dave and the others?"

"Yeah."

Usagi sighed as she sat up. "Then there won't be any leftovers. Those guys could clean out a supermarket and still not be full."

"Coming from you, kid, that's something to worry about." She laughed at the other girl's offended expression. Lita winked at her cousin as she headed to the fridge. She opened the freezer and rummaged about a bit. "I still have some of this tortellini and cream sauce." She pulled out both containers and transferred them to fridge.

Just then the front door opened. Usagi's brother shouted where everyone was.

"We're in the kitchen, Sam." She called back. "Lita, you better hide that stuff, if I'm going to take it to Rei's…"

"What are you taking to Rei's, baby doll?" Her brother asked as he scooped her up in his arms and blew a raspberry on the back of her neck.

Usagi screamed and tried to squirm away from her brother's embrace, but Sam had her cradled in his arms and at six-one, he had his little sister at a disadvantage.

"Mmm, something smells good." And in followed the Spanish Menace himself aka Francisco Alvarez de la Santa Maria del Toro, (Frankie to all those who had the misfortune to know him). Frankie made himself comfortable in the Tsukino kitchen. He was comfortable everywhere he went and at that moment Frankie was headed straight for the fridge. "Lita, _me amore_, my offer still stands. You wouldn't even have to sleep me and I would give you the entire world." He swatted her bottom playfully as he reached past her to pull out the pasta she had just put in.

"And get what you have?" She scoffed. She grabbed the containers and shoved them back inside and him away from the door. "That's for Usa's friend and everything else is just off limits. Don't you people have food at home?"

"We do, but none of us can cook as well as you." Frankie flashed Usagi his mega-watt smile. "_Holla_, babe, how's it going?"

"It ain't." She was now back on the ground and away from the counter. "I gotta broken friend and high school entrance exams in a couple months. And I'm pooped."

"Heard you blew up the Chem. Lab at Takeuchi Hall, Frankie." Lita smirked.

Frankie threw a dishtowel in her face. "Hell, it wasn't my fault. Darien was supposed to meet me there at three-thirty."

"He told you that he was running late." Sam dropped down on Usagi's stool and started spooning red caviar into the quail eggs. He had been around Lita long enough to know what needed to be done. "He came by the house to pick up some notebooks or something."

"And you blew up the lab." Lita hooted. "Boy, you are lucky you're rich or else your ass would have been kicked out."

Sam nodded his agreement.

Frankie tossed his fair hair and stuck his nose up in the air. "You just wish you could be me."

"Hey, Lita." Dave came in with a strange look on his face. "Usa, your cat is trying to claw Darien's eyes out---"

Usagi was out of the kitchen, not in flash, she ran into a terrified looking Jiro.

"Oh, my God," Jiro said hysterically as he helped Usa to her feet. "That animal just came out of no where and started hissing at Darien. When he tried to move, the crazy little beastie jumped on his leg." His hazel eyes were large with fright. "Lita, do you have knife or something—"

Usagi swore under her breath as she marched into living room ready to toss that mangy animal on the street, but came up short when she saw Ami standing guard over a tired but happy looking Rei who held the disconcerted Luna in her lap.

"Rei-chan." Usagi went on instant mother hen mode as she rushed over to her friends.

Both girls looked up and both smiled shyly at Usagi's overly concerned tone.

"What are you doing here?" Usagi scooped the evil black feline up into her arms and at the same time pressed her cheeked to Rei's in greeting. "God, honey, I thought you would have been in bed a week after what you had gone through." She turned to Ami and they shared a hug. "Hey, Ami." She smiled brightly as she took in Ami's outfit. "You look wonderful. Is this a new dress?"

Ami blushed becomingly as she looked down at her dove gray sundress with the white lace edgings around its sweetheart bodice. "Not really." She said quietly. "It is something that's been in my closet for a while—I, umm, never had the opportunity to wear it before now." She looked down at her feet quickly.

"Well, it's very pretty on you." Usagi gushed, "I'll most likely be trying to borrow it one day. What do you think, Darien?" She finally acknowledged her boyfriend. "Doesn't Ami look lovely in that dress?"

Darien looked at Ami critically for a moment, "You do look nice, Ames." He winked at her, "If I wasn't already a fallen man, I would ask you out, myself…" He noticed the warning look Usagi was giving him and he coughed nervously.

Ami's blushed deepened. She had been praised by one of her idols and gushed over by one of new best friends and it wasn't because she had achieved some high mark or accomplished some great feat on an exam. All the attention flustered the small genius, but it was a happy flustering. She looked up at Usagi; Darien had moved behind her friend and was resting his hands on the blonde's shoulders. A bright, happy grin broke out on her face.

"You two are the most wonderful friends anyone could ask for." And she should know, she had asked for them a million times over.

"Oh, Ami." Usagi had dropped Luna in order to give her friend a hug. Over Ami's shoulder, Usagi held a hand out to Rei. "Rei, when you are better, I am going to kill you." She said laughingly.

Ami turned around and Rei moved into their fold. "Rei, do you know how worried we were when we heard the news." Ami scolded gently.

"I had to do something." Rei said a hint of defensiveness in her tone. She knew they cared for her, but she had been alone for a very long time and she was still getting used to sharing her emotions with others and dealing with theirs, especially when it concerned her well-being.

"Yes, of course," Ami still sounded displeased. This was new for her. She never would have pressed on with a topic if someone wanted to beg it off. However, that was before her life had been taken over by Tsukino Usagi "However, you should have waited for the Sailor Senshi to come They always do as you know, yet you chose to put your in harms way. What purpose would it have served those children or your grandfather had you suffered even more serious injures than what already have?"

"Oh, Ami, not you, too." Rei said impatiently. She tried to turn away, but the girls had a good hold on her. "Usa-chan, Ami-chan, please…"

"No, Rei." Usagi snapped. "You scared the dickens out of us."

"I had never been so terrified in my life." Ami was the first to initiate the group hug. "Please, each of us for all of our mental sakes please, let's practice more caution in the future?"

Rei nodded. "I will be more careful, you guys."

"Me, too." Usagi promised.

"As shall I."

And as one, the girls turned to the only male in their little group. Darien made a show of looking about the room, then he pointed at his chest, "Oh, you three must mean me?"

"Yes, dear." Usagi let go of Ami to make room for him.

"We can't have our masked hero running about without giving the same promise." Rei said impishly.

"We care about you, as well, Darien." Ami added shyly.

Darien really did not want to participate in the overly sentimental moment. Hell, it was uncomfortable for him just being in the room with them all. Too much estrogen. But after a brief hesitation, Darien reluctantly moved into the group hug and the girls converged about him.

"What's this?" An older male voice boomed from the doorway. "Shields, you've got some explaining to do."

The girls released their hold on Darien at the sound of Usa's father's voice.

"Darien, if you can pry yourself from the company of this young ladies, why don't help bring in the rest of these bags."

"Yes, sir." Darien hurried out the front door.

Kenji could not keep the smirk from his face as he watched the boy go. Usagi shook her head at her father's childish behavior. "Daddy, I don't know why are so mean to Darien. He is to the most generous and kindest boy in the world."

Kenji snickered, "Boy?" He hooted, "That boy looks as old as Sam."

"Darien is only seventeen." Usagi reminded him.

Rei stared at her in surprise. "Really?"

Usagi nodded, "Yeah. Well, he'll be seventeen in a couple weeks…Oh! That reminds me. I am putting together a surprise party for him and I was wondering if I could enlist you two—"

"Of course."

"Yes."

Rei and Ami looked at each other and started laughing. Usagi couldn't keep a smile from her face and neither could her father.

"Great." Usa peeked out the open door. Darien, being a perfect gentleman that he was (sometimes,) had taken all the bags from her mother's arms and whatever that happened to be in the back of the car. Ilene Tsukino was making fussing noises over him. "Dave, Josh, and my cousin Lita are in on this. Andrew says he's going to pitch in and he is going try to talk the rest of their friends into helping. We are meeting Monday at four o'clock at Crown Fruit Parlor."

"Gotcha." Ami smiled.

Usagi blinked. "Wow, I'm really rubbing off on you guys."

"Now, if you could just rub off on Usa, Ami-chan." Kenji gave his daughter a little nudge.

Usagi pouted. "Hey, old man, I'm not doing _that _bad!"

"That math grade is killing you." Kenji said seriously. "If you want to go to Harvard…"

"I know, I know." Usagi lamented. "I've got to place well on the High School exams and get into a high math."

"That's right, Usa."

There was a cry from the kitchen. The next moment Frankie came running into the living room with an angry Jiro on his tail.

"Frank! I can't believe you—_Kami_, when I get my hands on you!"

"It's just a car." Frankie ran over to them and ducked behind Usagi.

"It's my car. I worked hard to buy it."

"You needed another anyway." Frankie told him.

"And how the hel—" Jiro noticed the hard look on Kenji's face and amended the oath. "How the heck am I going to buy a new one? All my money is tied up in my education. With tuition, rent, and my share of the grocery bill, how am I going to afford a new car?"

"Hey," Darien called out to his friends. "What's the problem, guys?"

Jiro took a deep breath, but it didn't calm him down. "The Menace jacked up my car, man."

"You know what." Usagi went to Darien and started taking the bags from his loaded down arms and distributing them to her friends. "We are going see if Lita needs some help. Mom, I wanted to talk to you about that thing we're having in a couple weeks."

Ilene looked somewhat confused and then understanding hit. "Oh, yes, _the thing_." She turned to three young men and said sternly. "Jiro, Frankie, play nice. You know Darien is a snitch." His two friends glared at him and Darien silently groaned. The Tsukinos were a messed up family.

In the kitchen, Lita had just finished with her pasta. Dave was now seated at the island with a peeler in his hand and two pounds of white asparagus before him. He had the earpiece of his cell phone in his right ear and he was pleading with the person on the other end.

Usagi went around to the breakfast nook and put her bags down. Sam was also on the phone and from the sappy sound of his voice, Usa knew who he was talking to.

"I know you don't like her, babe, but I've already asked Darien and he laughed in my face." He was saying. "Come on, Frankie is _really_ desperate here. He needs a date to the embassy ball. Naw, Usa is going with Darien, not that I would have let Frankie take my kid sister out. Not to mention Darien would cut off both of Frankie's hands. What! Hotaru, honey, no…God, you hate Mina Aino, why wouldn't you want to wish Frankie on your worst…?" He hung his head and rubbed at his tired eyes. "Yes, dear. I know you are not evil and cruel bitch…"

"Sam!" Ilene scolded.

The youth looked up at his mother and mouthed his apology. "Sweetie, please just hear me out. Frankie has issues besides the obvious mental ones. Yeah, a lot of girls want to date him because of that---You still won't do it." He sighed wearily. "No, no, that's fine. I'll see you when you get here. Yeah, I love you, too." He hung up and then fell back in his seat with a loud moan.

"Come on, Seiya." Dave said desperately. "Frankie will owe you big time—What do you mean she's gay? Fifty bucks she only said that because she didn't want to go out with you—Seiya? Hello?" He ripped out his earpiece.

"No luck either, man?" Sam asked.

"I can't believe that prick hung up on me." Dave said in disbelief.

"What are you boys trying to do?" Ilene put her bags on the counter. "Lita, that sauce smells fantastic. But, honey, I though you were making spinach pasta with an alfredo sauce?"

"So did I but someone's fur ball got loose and decided my food was a good watering ground." She glared at her cousin.

"Again?" Kenji shook his head, "Usa, I know how much you wanted a pet. But this cat is a menace. I'm sorry, honey, but Luna has to go."

"We're trying to get Frankie a date for the Embassy Ball." Dave said with a cheeky grin, "Maybe we can dress this cat up and teach it to walk on its hind legs…"

"Usa, why don't you try asking one of your friends?" Ilene suggested.

"And risk being ostracized for the rest of my high school career?" Usa said baldly. "I'm sorry, Mommy, but I don't think so."

"Usa," her mother said warningly.

"I can't do it, Mom." She cried defensively.

"We don't say can't in this family." Ilene reminded her.

Usagi groaned, "Fine," she said exasperatedly. "I _won't _do it. I like all my friends and I enjoy my social life. I'm not going to risk it because Frankie is a jerk." She wanted to say looser, but that word was frowned down upon in the house as well. "Besides all my friends are dating someone."

Sam eyes fell on Ami and Rei and the idea hit him. "Hey, what about these two?" He asked nodding at them.

Usagi's eyes went wide with horror. "Samuel Shingo Rensselaer-Tsukino have you taken a complete leave of your senses?" She demanded shrilly. "You won't inflict the Menace on _your girlfriend_ but you want _to force him on my two new best friends_?"

Belatedly, Sam realized what he had done and quickly tried to defuse his irate little sister before she became Mt. Serena. "Usa, no one wants to force anyone—"

Unfortunately, he was not quick enough. "How could you be so mean, so callous and shallow to suggest that _I_ introduce two of the most _sweetest _and_ innocent_ girls in Japan to that lecherous, absentminded, wasted flake from Spain?"

"Usa!" Sam backed away from his sister.

She grabbed him by his shirt front and hauled up, somewhat. "Well?" She said through clinched teeth.

"I'm sorry." Was his terrified reply.

Usagi let him go. "It's not the eloquent speech of forgiveness I had in mind but it will do." She smiled sweetly at her brother. "But luckily for you guys, I know Mina Aino."

"Whoa." Dave said.

"You do?" Sam asked now that terror was gone.

"Yeah." She went to the fridge, "Ames, Rei-chan, you guys want a soda or something?"

"Yes, please." Ami was having a hard time not laughing at her friend's and her family's antics.

Rei made a small face. "I don't like carbonated drinks." She said as she and Ami slid onto the bench behind the breakfast table.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot." Usagi reached into the cupboard for a glass. "Well, we've got iced tea, Lita's homemade lemonade, fruit juice---"

"Could I have the lemonade, please?"

"I got that." Kenji took the pitcher from his daughter and carried it to the table. "So Rei, we've had the pleasure of getting to know Ami. It's now time we've gotten to know you."

"Yes, dear." Ilene put a plate of butterscotch cookies on table. "Usa told us you live with your grandfather at the Hikawa Jinja on _Sakura Oka_?"

"_Hai_." Rei said quietly.

"Mom's loves working over in the area." Sam took the glasses his father handed over to him. "She's a photojournalist for _Life Magazine_. She's done several pieces on your temple and the neighborhood."

"I am impressed." Rei sounded a bit in awe.

"Don't be. Be impressed when I finally take home the Pulitzer." Ilene smiled down at the beautiful girl. Her artist eye had captured Rei's ethereal qualities and she was impressed by what saw. "My god, your face seems so familiar to me. Ken, doesn't she remind you of someone?"

Kenji took a long look at Rei, his eyes deep in thought, "Yeah, honey, now that you mentioned, Rei sort of reminds me of Lin Far Yow, she was an Japanese-Chinese actress from Hong Kong…"

"She is—was my mother." She picked at her nails nervously.

"Oh, honey." Ilene laid a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder.

"No, it's alright." Again, comfort. Rei now understood why Usagi was always touching them. A pat on the hand, touch on the arm, or a hug even when they weren't sure they needed it. Her entire family just oozed comfort. They opened their hearts as well as they're home.

While Rei endured the gentle questioning and teasing from her parents and brother and cousin, Usagi made a quiet exist and escaped to the living room to rescue her boyfriend from his friends.

Darien was leaning against the entryway from the hall to the living room. Frankie and Jiro were talking quietly. Usagi peeked around Darien and saw that her mother's living room was still in one piece and so were the guys. She jumped slightly when Darien slipped an arm about her slender shoulders . She turned her large eyes up at him and then she leaned against and wrapped her arms about his waist.

"I know about my surprise party." He whispered into her hair.

She pouted slightly. "Alright, who told you?"

Darien noticed a couple twigs in his love's fair hair. "What were you doing? Playing in the bushes?"

"Lita was on the warpath earlier." She snuggled deeper into his embrace. "You haven't answered my question, nerd-boy?"

"You know Frankie's a snitch, right?" He said teasingly. The Tsukinos were really rubbing off on him. "But seriously, before you claw out Frankie's eyes. He didn't tell me. I overheard Drew recruiting Asanuma and the Kou Brothers to help out with your plans."

"Well, drats." All that hard work, the crazy missions she had planned and the hours of torture for Darien were wasted. Then she remembered something. "Dare, has Wilhelmina returned from England yet?"

"Mina?" He propped his chin on the top of her head. "Naw, she's still in England, she just e-mail me this morning. She's going to be over awhile longer."

"What about her classes over here?"

"She's gets her work in and she'll be back for finals. Why?"

"Sam wanted set her up on date with Frankie."

"Set who up on date with me?" Frankie demanded. "If it's that pretty little brunette with the how do you say _amatista ojos?_

"Amethyst eyes." Darien told him.

"Yeah," his blue eyes shone with an unholy light. "What's her name, Dare?"

"None of your business." Usagi was back in fighting mode.

Frankie took in Usa's angry face and he laughed, "Seriously, babe, who is she. I'm not going looking for a girlfriend, I just need a date for the Embassy Ball. _¡Por favor!_, Usa. I will do anything to prevent Princess Dia from jumping my bones."

"You are such a pig."

"I'm a desperate man, _amore_."

"My friends are off limit, Francisco." She warned him.

"I never though you would be so merciless, Usagi."

"I'm not merciless. I just don't trust you."

"I promise, I will be on my best behavior. And I will make the same promises and vows that I did for Lita. I won't touch her except to dance and maybe hide behind."

"Look Frankie, I've known you for almost two years now," Usagi said.

"So you should trust me."

"No. No, Rei is her own person." She said, but she wasn't happy about it. "You can ask her to be your date, but if she turns you do, that's going to be the end of it. Understand, Frankie?"

Frankie held his hands in surrender. "_Sí_, _hai_, whatever…I just need a date, Usa."

"Yeah, you keep saying that." She growled. "But I'm warning you…"

"Usagi." Ami tapped her on the shoulder. Usagi looked at her over her shoulder. "Your mother wanted to know if you would go to florist to pick up the roses she ordered…"

"Oh," Usagi had forgotten about Lita's gift. "Yeah, I—" She looked up at Darien imploringly. "Sweetie, could you give me a ride. I forgot all about grandma's surprise."

"Sure, but why didn't you just have them delivered?" He patted himself down for his keys. "Jiro, you got my keys?"

Jiro patted himself down but came up empty. He looked about and saw them on one of the end tables. "Cover boy, what would you without us?" He said as he snatched up the keys.

"Have more privacy." Darien quipped.

Jiro tossed him the keys. "Not with that girl as your chick."

Darien snagged the keys from the air with practiced ease. "That's what I meant. I'd have more privacy." He flicked his eyes in Usa's direction and winked.

Jiro grinned knowingly.

Usagi shoved Darien aside as she stormed past him. "God, half the time I don't know why I put up with you, nerd-boy."

"Ah, she loves me." Darien followed behind her making silly faces and kissy noises. Usa stopped, glanced back at him over her shoulder. Darien was still making those horrid funny faces. He was incredibly bad at it, but it touched her that he go so far as to make a fool of himself just for her.

She smiled gently. "C'mon, clown. You can buy me an ice cream cone."

He straightened up as he took her hand. "Anything to make you happy." He leaned down to kiss her but their tender moment was interrupted.

"God, get a room." A tall, raven-haired girl slammed the front door as she stared at the two young lovers in disgust.

Darien raised his head slowly, his sensual lips curled into a snarl. "Tomoe."

"Child." She said acidly.

His snarl relaxed into a cruel smirk. "Still crying because you failed your bio exam?"

"I didn't fail, Shields." She said indignantly.

"Could have fooled me with that fifty percent mark on your test booklet." He smiled down. "But I don't have time to argue with you right now."

"Hotaru, Sam's in the kitchen. I though you were bringing someone?" Usagi told her. She was getting so tired of these sniping at each other. She then remembered Ami, "Did you want to come—"

"No," the girl said with a brief shake of her head. "Your mother have Rei and me helping with...hmm…spinach balls?"

"Oh, Mrs. Tsukino's specialty." Hotaru said reverently. "Those things are hell to make, but they are SO good." She went forward and with her right hand out. "By the way I am Hotaru, Sam's girlfriend."

Ami started to bow, but she caught herself at the last second. With a sheepish little laugh, she took Hotaru's hand. "I'm Mizuno Ami."

"I know who you are." Hotaru smiled warmly. "I am the owner of Infinity College."

Ami was thunderstruck. "Why—Oh, you are Dr. Tomoe's…"

"So that's how you render a genius dumb." Usagi laughed. "Taru-chan, shame on you. Help Ames to kitchen and fortify her with chocolate. She'll come out of her stupefaction in couple minutes."

Ami blinked, she blushed from mortification at what Usagi had said. But she caught the teasing look in her friend's eyes and she laughed. "Oh, why don't you go pick up those flowers. And bring me back some ice cream." She folded her arms under her breast.

"Oh, I am scared." Darien ducked behind his girlfriend. "Ami's fighting back and making demands."

"Please, let's go before she decks you." Usagi opened the front door and took his hand. "God, sometimes you can be so immature."

"Naw." He pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms about her. "I'm spon-ta-ne-ous."

"Oww, big words. I didn't know you knew any." She was forced to duck walk but she wouldn't trade her place for the world.

"But I am still curious, Buns. Why didn't Grandma Rensselaer just have the flowers delivered here?"

"Because she did not want Lita to know about them." She told him. "This is where Li lives, duh!"

"I'm hurt."

"Kiss your own boo-boos." She told him.

"No, idiot." He dropped his arms and started towards his car without her. "I finally said that long and complicated name correctly and you did not notice." He jerked open the passenger door for her.

"Aw, is my little Darien not feeling like a big boy today?" She mocked.

Darien glared down at her. "No ice cream." He said venomously.

Usagi froze in her tracks. Her large blue-gray eyes went wide in horror. She gasped. "Oh, no!" she screamed shrilly. "Anything but that. No!"

**2**

Hours later. Darien was giving Ami and Rei rides home. Usagi had come with along under the pretense of picking up a couple DVDs and ice cream.

Darien stopped at a red light. "I don't care Luna." He said in a voice as cold as death. "I think the enemy will attack the Embassy Ball."

"I don't agree, Tuxedo Mask." The cat said condescending.

"Darien," Usagi corrected for the umpth time.

Luna hissed, "Darien."

"Road kill." He muttered.

"Guys." Rei said tersely. Those two bickering had even pushed her to her breaking point. "This is a Senshi meeting…"

"Which begs the question as to why is he here?" Luna demanded.

"Because it's my car." He growled.

"Besides that."

"He's Tuxedo Mask." Ami reminded her. "He's looking for the same exact crystal as we are and he is also searching for the Moon Princess."

"Where ever she is." Usa huffed.

Darien's right brow rose questioningly. Ami and Rei exchanged a look.

"Buns?" Darien ventured.

Usagi closed her eyes slowly as she shrugged off her jealously. "I'm alright." She told him.

But there was a cloud of tension around her that was almost palpable. Darien realized what had caused it, but he did not know what to say to make her feel secure. The light changed and he drove on.

"Luna," Ami said shortly. "We have decided to look into the Demetrios' Crystal. There is a 91 probability that enemy will crash the ball for the crystal. We just want to be ready."

"And if they don't?"

"We will still see the crystal." Usagi told her. "I don't know why you are fighting us on this. We are trying to locate this crystal and the Princess. You should be encouraging us to pursuit every lead."

"I know and I am…" Luna lowered herself into Usagi's lap and closed her eyes. "You girls are right. You should investigate the Embassy Ball."

"Good, because we are now all going." Ami grinned at Rei. "Even you, priestess."

Darien hooted. "I still can't believe Frankie talked you into being his date, Rei."

Rei sighed. "He didn't. David did."

Usagi half turned in her seat to face her friends. "I told that jerk to leave you alone if you rejected him."

"Don't worry about it." Rei told her. "Francisco will be volunteering at the shrine for three months starting tomorrow."

"You can't get something for nothing." Usagi laughed.

"I have to see this." Darien laughed. "Frankie has never had to do a lick of work his entire life."

"Neither have you." Usagi reminded him.

Darien shrugged. "I'm different."

"Not by much." She scoffed.

"You want to walk?"

"Please, you would not put me out on the side of street." She said confidently.

"One day, Buns." He growled

"Yeah, yeah. Talk to the hand, Shield."

He laughed, "That is so out dated."

She smiled. "Take a camera when you guys go to hassle Frankie."

"How do you know I'm taking the fellas with me?"

She gave him a superior look. "Because I know you and my brother. You guys are twisted on so many levels it's not even funny."

"True." He pulled around a curve and into up scale apartment complex. "Alright, Ami. You're the first stop." He stopped before the lobby revolving door. The night doorman came forward when he recognized Ami stepping out of the back of Darien's BMW sports coupe.

"Good evening, Miss Mizuno."

"Hello, Satoshi." She said politely. "You've had a pleasant evening, I trust?"

"I have and thank you, ma'am." The handsome young man was all dimples and smiles, but Ami was completely oblivious.

She turned back to her friends. Rei held out a large paper bag and that was closed up tight. "Thank you guys for a wonderful evening." She bent forward to kiss Rei and Usagi's cheeks. "And please, Usa, thank your cousin for me again. With all the leftovers she and your mother pressed on me, Mom and I will not be having take out all week."

"Lita was more than grateful and so was my mom." Usagi assured her.

"Nevertheless…"

"Hey, don't forget our meeting at the Fruit Parlor." Usagi told her.

Ami nodded. "I'll call you." She took a step back. "Thanks for the ride, Darien."

"No problem, Ames." He called back.

"Bye, Rei."

Rei smiled.

"Go to sleep." Usagi told her. "I'll call you when I get home." Darien put the car in gear and then sped off.

Ami watched as they all waved from the edge of the drive and then pull off into traffic. Those were her friends. She smiled to herself as she cradled her bag of goodies close and headed inside.

Ten minutes later, Darien and Usagi dropped Rei off at the temple. She was carry a bag similar to Ami's when got out. When they were half a block from the temple, Usagi put Luna in the back and she moved as close as she could to Darien.

After a couple minutes of this peacefulness in the middle of downtown traffic, Darien risked a glance down at his girlfriend's face and he saw the contented little smile on her face. "What are you thinking about, little woman?" he asked softly.

She raised her face to the moon roof and stared up at the stars and the towering skyscrapers that lined her vision. "I was just thinking about how lucky we are to have found each other so early in life." She whispered, not ready to disrupt the stillness that enveloped them inside the car. "Promise me something, Darien."

"Anything." He reached for her left hand and carried it to his lips.

"That we will always be together." She let him drop her hand to shift the gear, but he caught it soon after.

"I promise." He told her. "You and I will be together for eternity and beyond. We're soul mates."

"But what if this Princess—"

"I don't care about some girl I don't know." He told her. He looked down at her, "You are all I care about. You are the only one I love. Nothing ever going to change that, Serena."

She kissed his hand and then let it go when the car started to protest. "I love it when you get territorial and indignant."

"You better." He pulled into the video shop. "Because I only feel that way about you."

"Mmm." She sighed happily. "I have to go in for another fitting tomorrow."

"I though you were planning my party?" He pouted.

Usagi looked at him strangely. "I thought you were not going to mention that."

He rolled his, imitating her favorite gesture. "I want a humungous chocolate cake made of nothing but chocolate."

"You need flour, eggs, and milk." She opened her door and he followed suit.

"I want chocolate."

"You want a giant candy bar, don't you?" She demanded.

Darien looked away quickly.

"When was the last time you had chocolate, Darien?"

"Not since we made that bet." He told her.

"Are you lying to me?" She marched over to him and tried to intimate him, but she was at a serious disadvantage being only four-eleven and Darien a whopping five-ten and still growing.

"Buns." He took her angrily little face into his hands and kissed her tenderly. "I love you, but you are nuts."

"I just want my money."

"You're going to lose." He touched the tip of her nose and then let her go and took her right hand. "So what does this gown look like?' he asked as he led her into the store.

"I know you've had some chocolate." She said stubbornly.

"Yep. You are completely nuts." Darien told her.

"You owe me, buddy."

"I'll keep a video log of Frankie's torture." He offered

"Oh," she blinked a couple time and then beamed beatifically at him. "Well, then, have all the chocolate you want." She said sweetly. "By the way, it's backless and sleeveless."

"What is?" The way she jumped around something left him so confused.

Usagi just rolled her eyes and groaned. "The gown." She reminded him. "The one I am wearing to the Embassy ball."

He frowned, trying to picture it in his mind. And it came to him, slowly. "Oh—OH!" He looked down at her interestedly. "So it's going to be…"

"If I go home with another hickey, my father said he's going to kill you." She dropped his hand and went towards the horror section. "Hurry up, Shields, Lita wants to see…" The rest went unsaid. Her communicator was beeping.

Darien's cell phone rang. "Rei. Yeah, we'll be there in five minutes." He put away his phone and turned to Usagi. "We gotta go."

She slipped her hand into his and they hurried from the store.

"It's two mutated critters." He told her once they were in the car.

"Jedite?"

Darien nodded.

Usagi touched his hand to give comfort and receive it. "We will get him, Darien." She promised. "This time, Jedite is going down."


	3. The Dark Kingdom: Chapter III

**Three**

**1**

Jedite was running through the streets of the Juuban holding a hand his chest. He stumbled, falling hard into a couple garbage cans that were on the sidewalk. He struggled to pull himself up, but the wound his chest gape open causing him to cry out in pain.

He fell from on top of one of the large plastic containers to the hard concrete sidewalk and onto his injured side. The dark warrior cried out again, this time in rage.

How could this have happened to him?

He pushed himself up his knees. A shadow passed over him causing the suffering man to look up. Standing half a stone throw away from in the middle of the cul-de-sac was the masked warrior himself.

Tuxedo Kamen stood grimly in the center of the empty street. His top hat was gone, his white shirt and vest splattered with alien black blood. He had removed his cape and jacket and stood now as man in white shirt, black dress pants and with a broadsword in his hands.

Jedite tried to laugh, but it came out like a wet, tearing cough. There was no slim little rapier tonight, Tuxedo Kamen had come to this battle with the sole intention of killing him, Jedite thought bleakly. How ironic this entire thing was. Here he had come to surface to kill the Senshi and drain the populace of it life force, but now he was going to die.

Kamen watched at the wretched creature slowly pushed itself to its feet. His entire body tensed as he waited for Jedite to make his move. Tunnel vision helped in situations like this. It was like taking an exam or making an incision on a cadaver. Everything had to be precise, he had to focus and be ready or the other guy would have the advance and he would have to work harder just to correct that mistake and then prove himself all over again. Kamen was not about let that happen here. Jedite had mocked him once when he threw a rose at him, but that never happened again. Cold, sharp steel made a much better impression than a flower any day.

Jedite was going to pay for hurting his Usagi. He was suffering for causing their friends pain, and he now he going to die because that big ass mutated cricket had wrecked Darien's car.

Jedite steeled himself for the ensuing attack. With the last of his energy, Jedite summoned a fireball. "If I am dying tonight, Kamen, I am taking you with me." He roared.

"That's not going to happen." Kamen snatched two steel tipped roses from the air and hurtled them at the dark warrior.

Jedite dove out of the way. With a backhanded toss, Jedite sent the ball of fire at the young warrior, but Tux was prepared for it. He jumped up, sailing over his promised death, rolled and came down on Jedite with the blade of his sword fixed on the dark general's heart. Jedite could not move, he had expended the last of his energy and was now unable to defend himself.

The sword tore through cloth, skin, and bone easily to sink deeply into Jedite's chest. The force of the blow pinned Jedite to the ground. Kamen rose quickly, ripping his blade from his fallen enemy's chest, and Jedite's back arch up. A fountain of black blood sprayed from his lips and green slime was secreting from the two massive wounds Kamen had inflicted. He took a half step back at the same time he raised his sword over his head. Jedite lay almost dead but quickly dying; He looked up at the masked warrior and croaked.

"Finish it."

Tuxedo Kamen brought the blade down swiftly. Jedite faced his death with open eyes. In a single blow, Jedite was gone.

Tuxedo Kamen kicked the severed head aside. He staggered back, taking deep gulping breaths, but he could not settle his stomach.

When the Senshi arrived, a mask less Darien was still retching in some nearby bushes. Sailor Moon dropped his discarded clothing and rushed over to him.

Mercury had pulled out her computer and was scanning the area that Tux had fought with Jedite. Mars picked up Kamen's cape; jacket and top hat and she followed Mercury, who was now kneeling on the ground beside the corpse, gathering samples of the black blood and slime.

"He actually did it?" Mars said in awe.

"He said he would." Mercury murmured. She glanced up at Mars, "I doubt if I could have done this. At least not by myself."

"I doubt if he could have done this before today. And I fear before long we all will be soaked in another's blood." She tightened her arms about herself and shivered. "I wish we could just find this Princess and have this nightmare over with."

"I do hope you mean the fighting?" Mercury asked teasingly.

Mars gave her a playful shove, "I am beginning to have several reservations about calling you my friend." She winked at her. "Just finish gathering your samples so we can leave this place. People are bound to get curious and start looking for the fight…"

"Got it." Mercury hopped up. Her tools disappeared into her subspace pocket. "Alright, we should leave now."

Mars nodded. "Moon, Kamen," she called. "I hear sirens."

Sailor Moon had Darien's domino mask in her hands. She shoved it back on to his face as he scrubbed at his mouth with the handkerchief she had stuffed into his hands.

"C'mon, sweetie." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and hug. "We have to get out of here."

Darien nodded weakly. "I need to call someone about my car."

"We are close to my house." She told him. "I want to get you home, Darien. I need to make sure you're—" Her voice broke off as tears overwhelmed her.

Darien pulled her into his arms and held her for a moment.

She clutched the back of his shirt as great heaving sobs wracked her small frame. "I don't—know—what…" She shook her. "Oh, God. I can't lose you, Darien."

"I'm not going anywhere, Buns." He said fervently.

"You are going somewhere right now." Mars said. She and Mercury had run over to the pair and were hauling them to their feet. "We have to go, right now."

The flashing lights of the emergency vehicles could be seen from two blocks away. Darien let go of Sailor Moon to grab the things Mars pushed into his hands. The two girls grabbed Sailor Moon by both hands and they all started running for one of the darken yards in the circle. They leapt over the back fence and headed towards the park. Once there in the safety of a grove of trees, they all dropped their transformations and went their separate ways.

Darien was going to double back to his car, but Usagi put a fuss. She still hadn't recovered from his fight with Jedite and she did not want him out of her sight. Had he not been in such a somber mood himself, Darien would have teased her about her reaction and would have reminded her that she too had been battle that night. But at that moment, he couldn't think of doing anything except comforting Usagi. And letting her fuss over him seemed to make her feel better so Darien indulged her.

They walked the three and half blocks to her house. She pushed the gate open and they were surprised to see her parents and Lita standing on the front lawn. They were all in their nightclothes and robes and each of their beloved faces were masks of concern, worry, and fear. When she saw her parents, Usagi broke out into fresh tears and with a child like wail, she raced into her parents' arms.

Quietly, Darien closed the gate and made sure that the latch was in place. He looked back at his girlfriend, now caught up in the embrace of her family, Darien suddenly felt alone and like an emotional voyeur.

"Oh, Darien." Ilene clucked like a mother hen. "Honey, are you alright?"

He hesitated a second to long to suit the Tsukinos and the family went on emergency mode. Ilene and Lita had Usagi and were leading into the house. Kenji came over to the young man he had already though of his son-in-law (but not six more years hopefully and he was not going to tell him that;) and laid a fatherly hand on his right shoulder.

"Ilene is right, you're staying here tonight, son." He steered the youth towards the front door. "Beside, I doubt we would be able to keep Usa at home if we called one the boys to come pick you up."

"I don't think I could leave her either." Darien admitted shakily. "I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not, just as long as you stay in Sam's old room there won't have any problems." He warned mildly.

Darien heard the implied threat and he nodded. "I'll be nothing more than Buns very good male friend who doesn't kiss her." He vowed.

Kenji clapped him on the shoulder, "Good to hear, son." He grinned sagaciously. "You do know Lita is a snitch, right?"

"Ah, no."

Kenji pushed him through the front door, "Now you do."

**2**

The Crown Arcade was packed which was odd for a Monday afternoon. The sounds of machines, laughter, and the snappy bubble gum pop music were enough to drive any self respecting adult insane.

Luckily for Andrew, it was his day off. He tore out of the place after asking a couple of the clerks to tell Usagi that they had moved to the Fruit Parlor upstairs

"I still can't believe it. That Darien's pretty little toy was ruined." Andrew dropped down in the already packed booth. "Josh, shove over."

"God, who though we all could fit in this thing?" Darien's doppelganger but with a long black ponytail complained for the hundredth time since he had gotten there.

A girl with a camera ran by and cried, "I love you, Seiya!" Snapping a quick photo of said copy and his two brothers.

The three guys groaned in chorus as they pulled on their sunglasses and lowered themselves further in the booth.

"God, don't be so overly dramatic." Lita told them.

"This is why we don't hang out with you guys." The silvery-blond Kou brother pouted.

"Correction, it's why we don't hang out with you." Dave told him. "You ain't nothing three glorified pretty-boys."

"Dave, one day your mouth is going to write a check your ass can't cash."

"Seiya, I will kick your pony-tail wearing ass."

"C'mon on then."

Both moved to stand up only to be pulled back down. Lita glared at both of them, but gave the closest one a head slap (Seiya was the happy recipient!)

A blond guy with curly hair and glasses raised up as much as he dared in that packed booth and scanned the floor of the arcade below. "Where is Usa, Lita? It's not like her to be late."

Lita had been worried and for the last twenty minutes she had been paying close attention to the dial on her watch. Josh was right, Usagi was never late, and that girl strove to be on time for everything. And if she called a group together, she was there at least ten minutes before everyone just to make sure everything was ready. And with these strange mutant creatures running about Tokyo, she was doubly concerned.

Sailor Moon was thrown into a solid brick wall with enough force to shattered every bone in her body. But in this case, it just knocked the wind out of her and most likely left an imprint on her body. Moon slid helplessly to the ground raising a trembling hand to her spinning head.

"Moon!" Mars shouted, "Look out!"

The two Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen scrambled to her aid, but they too late and the creature slammed into the tiny warrior again.

Moon screams of pain echoed throughout the Juuban Business District. The glass in the windows shattered and crashed down on to the streets. People, scrambled from their hiding place to avoid the deadly shower raining down on the sidewalks and the streets.

Tuxedo Kamen rammed his shoulder in the mutated green humanoid back, knocking it off the downed blonde warrior. Mercury came to her leader's aid while Mars jumped into the fray with Tuxedo Kamen. Both warriors were giving the fight their all, unleashing all the stops as they poured magic into their physical attacks.

An apprehensive Mercury was supporting Sailor Moon as she pulled her leader away from the fighting. Lithe gloved hands moved quickly over Moon's ribcage checking for more damaged as they made their way to safety, which was behind an overturned mailbox. Mercury leaned her leader the mailbox as she pulled out her mini computer to scan Moon thoroughly.

"Nothing is broke," the ice Senshi reported shortly. "But there is some internal bruising. We need to get you to the hospital."

"Don't worry about me," Moon protested weakly. "I just need to get my breath and then I'll finish off this demon."

Mercury wanted to argue, but now was not the time. Although concern was still in her eyes, Mercury moved away from her leader and started towards the fight. "Catch your breath, Moon." She said over her shoulder, "I'll distract it long enough for you to get back on your feet."

Moon nodded once. She held her left hand to sore chest. Her ribs might not have been broken but they sure as hell felt like it. Sailor Moon moaned from the pain as she pushed herself up to feet only to be slapped to the ground.

Kamen felt her pain through their link immediately and the masked hero retaliated. Mercury moved in on the beast to give Kamen a chance to help their leader. And to think, Luna did not want them have this guy on their team.

Deadly roses with steel stems cut through the air like a thousand pointed knives aiming for whoever dared to attack Kamen's beloved. Moon got out of the way as the intended victim of Kamen's wraith was skewered with several of razor sharp flowers. Today, it was a beautifully hand crafted Sixteenth Century rapier from Toledo that came out the masked one's cape.

Sailor Moon just stared at her boyfriend in open mouth wonder. He looked like he just stepped out a novel. Dark black hair and his night black cape moving in the wind. His handsome face was hard as he raised his sword and prepared to attack who or whatever that had attacked her.

Moon was distracted from her thoughts by a shrill scream of pain. She turned her head sharply and saw Mars and Mercury bringing the beast to its knees.

"Now, Moon!" Luna appeared out of nowhere.

Not that she needed that warning. Moon rolled to her knees, her right hand going up to snatch the golden tiara from her brow as called out, "_Moon Frisbee_!" Mercury and Mars leapt clear of the beast just as the Moon's attack hit.

Kamen made a desperate grab for the auburn haired warrior, but the thing disappeared into a portal. Kamen's vicious curses blistered the air around them. Sailor Moon wrapped her around her chest, tears of pain welling in the corners of her large eyes.

"Kamen," Mars snapped as she and Mercury helped their leader to her feet. "Moon's hurt, we need to get out here…"

Without a word, Kamen turned sharply on his right heel, his drawn rapier disappeared as he scooped Sailor Moon up in his arms.

People were coming out of their hiding places as emergency vehicles appeared on the scene. News helicopters were already in the air going live to the networks reporting on what was being described as one of the greatest disasters not caused by nature. It was hard for the four warriors to shake the press. Helicopters followed them as they raced across the rooftops to avoid the jam packed streets and sidewalks.

"Oh, my God!" Andrew pointed frantically at one of the televisions that hung on the walls of the Fruit Parlor. "It's the cheerleaders and that guy they hang out with."

"Hell, I thought they weren't real." Frankie narrowed his eyes at the screen.

On the television, Tuxedo Kamen ran off the ledge of skyscraper and plumed down a couple hundred feet to land on the roof of a smaller building and he jumped straight into the air onto another building. Mars and Mercury were slightly ahead of him.

"We have just learned that the blonde one, Sailor Moon, she has been seriously injured during the fight." A reporter's voice came on over the live feed. "We are assuming that the so called Sailor Senshi are taking their comrade to the closest hospital…Whoa! What the hell was that?"

A dense fog clouded the screen and most of down town Tokyo. The Four teenagers hurried out of an alley three rushing into a cab and the fourth hurrying to a bus stop.

"I'll meet you guys there," Ami shouted over her shoulders to her friends.

"Hurry, Ami." Rei cast a worried glance at Sailor Moon who was bundled in Tuxedo Kamen's cape.

"17 _Yanagi Gairo_." Darien told the driver as he tossed him a handful of bills, "And hurry."

Ami got off the bus half a block later, she ducked into an alley, making sure that it was clear before she drew her transformation wand and morphed. Sailor Mercury surveyed her fog, light was slowly, yet surely making it's way through in some patches and by her estimation, it would cleared up in ten minutes.

In ten minutes, she had to cross town, raid the supply closets at Tokyo General, managing not to get caught or be seen and then rush back across town to Darien's house without attracting attention to herself or where she was going or alerting his housemates…

Sailor Mercury collapsed in Darien's living room eight minutes and thirty-four seconds later.

"Here," she shoved her purloined supplies towards a startled Rei.

Rei snatched up the bag and hurried up stairs to Darien's room.

Ami rolled onto her back, holding a hand to her heaving chest as she released her transformation. She sank onto the floor in a graceless heap moments before her eyes drifted shut. Opening the patio door had taken the last of her energy and now Ami just wanted to sleep.

"_Kusatta oni_," She muttered tiredly, thinking of the beast they had fought against. "_Kusatta ma_." Her mouth thinned as she recalled the auburn haired man who wore the same gray, military style suit that Jedite had worn. "I wish I knew where are they coming from?"


	4. The Dark Kingdom: Chapter IV

**Four**

**1**

"_Moshii, moshii_." Rei glanced at the clock on the range. "Yuuichirou-san? It's Rei. _Hai_, I would like to speak to my grandfather please?" She stirred the contents in the pot slowly as she waited for the novice to summon her grandfather. It was a quarter after seven and they were all still at Darien's place. It had taken awhile, but Rei had helped Darien tend to Usagi. The petite blonde had coughed up blood a couple times before she could rest. Darien was worried. Even though Ami had told Usa she had no broken ribs, the fact that she had been spitting up blood was strong indication that something else might have happened.

Darien was now watching Usa's temperature and monitoring her as best as he could. He said the second she spiked a fever he was taking her to the hospital, Luna and their secret identities be damned.

Rei was more than inclined to agree with him on the matter. She had never understood why their identities needed to remain a secret anyway. Luna had warned each of them repeatedly on keeping their families in the dark about this alternative life they led. It was for their and their families' safety. Therefore, it was on days such as these, when one of them was severely injured in battle, that they could not go to hospital for the risk of someone learning the truth…

"_Moshii, moshii_," the warm, caring, age roughened voice came on the other end.

"_Ojisan_." Rei smiled sadly.

The old man sighed in relief. "_Mago_, where are you? There was an attack downtown—"

"I know, _Ojisan_," She turned off the flame and moved the pot to a cooling rack. "I was there with Tsukino Usagi. We were on our way to meet Mizuno Ami at her tutorial sessions…"

"_Kannon._" The priest cried, "_Mago_, were you injured?"

Rei nodded, but then she remembered he could not see her, "_Ina_, but…but, Usagi, she was…she was hurt." She closed her eyes in shame. She hated anyone else lying and she could hardly stand it in herself.

"_Ko_…" he heard the tears in her voice, and Grandfather Hino wished he could have taken away her pain. "Rei, where are you now? I will have Yuuichirou…"

Just then the front door banged opened and Dave shouted, "Shields! Yo, you home?"

"Its okay, _Ojisan_." Rei said into the receiver as Dave came stomping into the kitchen. "I will be home as soon as I can." She switched off the cordless handset and turned to face a concerned Dave. "Darien is in his room, Rothschild-san."

"Call me Dave." He flashed a quick grin that quickly put her at ease. "No honorifics, _please_! Hino-san. I get enough of those in school and at work."

Rei returned his smile. "If I am not to be formal with you, then I must insist that you do me the same courtesy."

Dave stuck out his right hand, "I always want to be on first name basis with a beautiful and charming young lady." He said as he carried her small hand to his lips.

"Rei?"

The young miko turned around to see Frankie standing in the entrance. He looked a bit dazed, like he had fallen and bumped his head or something.

"Oh, shit!" someone yelled from the living room. Where Rei had left a sleeping Ami.

She blushed slightly as she tried to remember placing blanket over her friend. Quickly, Rei excused herself and hurried, as fast as dignity allowed, into the living room to find Ami still asleep and Darien laying a blanket over her.

"We were caught in the fight down town," he was telling Usagi's brother and his other roommates. "Usa didn't think she was badly off."

Sam was staring at the young genius as if did not know him. Normally Darien would go into conniptions if Usagi had so much as a hang nail. It seemed completely out of character for him not want to take her the hospital when she could have been seriously injured.

Jiro noticed that something was not right as well. Darien was uncharacteristically somber and his manners were evasive. Jiro knew without a doubt that Darien was lying and he was scared out of his mind. Jiro was able to read Darien like a book, so could Dave, Frankie, and Josh. Sam rushed up the stairs, calling out to Andrew to pull his car around. Darien slowly followed him upstairs. He had to be with Usagi.

Rei sat down on the sofa next to Ami.

Jiro turned his attention to the priestess. "Hino-san, you were with Darien and Usagi when she was hurt?"

Rei stared at him questioningly. "I am sorry, but who are you again?"

Jiro blushed slightly. Frankie and Dave, who had just come out of the kitchen, burst out laughing.

"Now that is not something that occurs everyday, Ji." Dave walked over to Rei and placed a bottle of apple juice in her hands. "Where are Sam and Drew?" He asked as he dropped down on the opposite couch and snatched up the remote.

"Sam went upstairs with the kid." Jiro said worriedly. "They're going to take Usagi to the hospital."

Rei was on her feet immediately. "I have to go with them."

Dave shook his head, "No. We're going to take you and Ami home."

"But…" She started to protest but Jiro cut her off.

"Dave's right, you were caught in one of those fights a few days ago, and your other friend looks exhausted."

"Besides, your grandfather is worried about you." Dave had caught the last of her telephone conversation earlier. "Don't worry, one of us will call you if Usa gets worse." She still looked doubtful. "I promise." He grinned at her, "Scout's honor."

Ami shifted slightly and turned onto her side. Rei glanced at her friend, she reached out and brushed a strand of hair from Ami's brow as she said, "Ami was staying with the Tsukinos while her mother is out of town. My grandfather offered to send one of the novices for me…"

"Rei," Darien called as he came down the stairs. "Both Usa and I would feel better knowing that you and Ami had gotten home safely."

"Wow, an endorsement." Dave smirked.

Darien stuck his feet into his shoes, "No, but I trust you guys, and these girls are my friends so I know that they will be safe with you."

"Darien, how is Usagi?" Rei asked.

"She's awake." He told her. "She still needs to be checked out. Her ribcage is a myriad of bruises."

"She will be alright?"

He nodded and smiled reassuringly at the young miko. "She will be fine." He turned towards the staircase when he heard the first hesitant step.

"Let me carry you, Serena, or least have Darien carry you." Sam was saying. He loomed protectively behind his little sister, every few seconds he would reach out to steady her.

Usagi's right hand had a death grip on the plain wooden banister and her left arm was holding her chest. "I'm agreeing to go to the hospital." She rasped. "Don't push it, Sam."

"You can hardly walk!" He cried.

Usagi held her hand out to Darien. He rushed to her side and moved to scoop her up, but the look on her face warned him off. "Just help me down the stairs." She told him. "I don't need you to carry me."

"I know you don't," He bent and easily took her into his arms and held her close. "But I need to. Indulge me, okay?"

Reluctantly, Usagi gave in. She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. "Where are Ami and Rei?" She asked, worry laced her voice as she recalled her friends.

"Dave and Frankie are taking them home." Darien told her. "Now lie still, we have to get you to the hospital."

Jiro went with Darien and the others and Frankie and Dave dropped the girls off.

Ami woke up and asked to be taken to the Tsukinos. Her mother had dropped her bag off that morning. Lita was waiting for Ami when the guys arrived. She called Ami over to her Jeep and they left for the hospital.

Rei called her grandfather from Dave's phone. Her grandfather promised to join her at the hospital.

**2**

"Now I know why I dislike doctors." Usagi complained.

She had been confined to her bed a full five days and she had spent most of it staring at the pale pink and cream stripped wallpaper. Molly sat on the padded window seat with its mountain of rose, pink and white pillows and stuffed rabbits.

"Only you would complain about missing a week of school and being pampered." The red headed girl snorted.

Usagi glared at her so called best friend, "I have no problems with the pampering, I'm just sick of being stuck inside." She lowered her eyes to the magazine in her friend's hands and asked, "What are you reading?"

"European Vogue." She held up the book so Usa could see the cover then lowered it. "So are you still going to the Embassy Ball with Darien?"

"Of course." She grunted as she pushed herself up. "I have been looking forward to this since I saw Darien's invitation."

"Why would Darien be invited?" Molly asked brainlessly.

Usa stared at her. "He's the Chiba heir. One of the oldest and most powerful families in Japan. And one of the wealthiest, although you would never know it because he's so cheap." A recent fight had soured her disposition some. The reason for the fight, Luna and that Moon Princess. Damn that cat! She was not going to ruin her life. Nor was that freaking Princess…she's not going to steal her man. Darien was Usa's property. She loved him and cared for him. He was her best friend, companion, true love, and her soul mate and he was going to be her husband when she turned eighteen (Twenty-one her foot. She wasn't going to wait that long to have that man.). She would be damned before she let some tarted up, little so-called, alien princess take her man from her. Usa would die fighting for him and would kill any girl who tried to take him. Thieving little, gold digging—

"Oh, Usa!" Molly cooed.

Her bedroom door was opened and hanging there in view was a gigantic bouquet of most perfect red roses either girl had ever seen.

"Am I welcomed in today?" Darien called from the other side.

Molly giggled.

Usa shook her head at his antics, but there was no mistaking the love that warmed her features. "I haven't brushed my hair." She called back. "And I am wearing the most ridiculous pajamas in the world."

"I can top that." He laughed, "Surfer pants, leather tong sandals, and one of Sam's hockey jersey. And…" He pushed the door open further and Usa started laughing.

"Oh, my." Molly could only stare at the usually well-dressed and fashionable youth in horror.

Usa collapsed onto her side, both arms wrapped about her tender ribs. Darien removed the baseball cap and ran his fingers through his messy hair.

"I've been getting that all day." He trooped inside and dropped down on the floor beside his girlfriend's bed. She was still laughing. "Buns, it's not that funny."

"Yes it is." She hooted.

"God, Darien-kun, what happened to you?" Molly asked respectfully.

"Bad week." He laid the roses down on the floor. "Test, papers, helping out Frankie and Drew and Sam with some of their papers. I had TA duty for three of my professors and I haven't had time to do laundry. And with Buns out of commission, she couldn't do it for me."

"Get a maid." Usa told him.

"Why should I when I have a perfectly good girlfriend who could do it for me?" He countered.

"Jerk." She pushed his head away.

Darien caught her hand and kissed it. "Your Mom's doing it all for us anyway. But we've got to chip in."

"So you all are over here?" Lazily, she laced their fingers together.

Darien nodded. "Well, Drew went home, so his mom's doing his. I missed you, sweetheart."

She smiled. "Me, too." They remained so, just staring into each other's eyes.

And that meant it was time for Molly to go. She called a soft good-bye, that was unheard, not that she minded. She knew what it was like to be in love.

**3**

Molly went down stairs and to the laundry room where she found Ilene and Sam.

"You boys should really think of getting your own machines." Ilene was telling her son. "I don't mind helping you and your roommates out, Sammy. But you all of you are grown, responsible young men."

"I know Mom." Sam said as he folded his sheets. "And you are right…"

"Hi, Sam." Molly peeked into the opened door way. "Good night, Ms. Tsukino."

Ilene glanced over her shoulder and smiled warmly at the girl. "Oh, good-bye honey. Did you have a nice visit with Usa?"

Molly nodded. "I did. But I have to get home now. Mom said she needed some help with the new inventory."

"Oh, well. Have a good night and please tell Karen that I am looking forward to our lunch date on Friday."

"Will do." Molly waved. "Bye, Sam."

"'Night, Red."

When she was gone, Ilene said to her son. "She is such a nice girl."

"She's a bit flaky, though." Sam put his folded sheet aside and reached for another one.

"She just a young girl, they are all a bit scatterbrained at that age."

"That's not true for Usa's two new friends." He had finished with his bedding and was now putting it away.

Ilene looked up at her son questioningly. "What do you mean? Ami and Rei are two very nice girls."

"They are, but there is something very off about them." He rested his hip against the dryer, his arms folded over his chest as he shared his thoughts with his mother.

"Yes, they are not like the rest of your sister's usual circle of friends, however that does not make them strange, Sam." Ilene picked up the next load. This was Jiro's. "They have had very different lives. Sweet little Ami is prodigy as well as the daughter of brilliant, renowned neurology specialist and her father an internationally acclaimed artist. And dear little Rei, the poor child is the daughter of one Hong Kong's cinema queens and her father is a powerful Member of Parliament. The dear girl has been trapped in the traditional role of being the only daughter of that powerful statesman and the Hino heiress. She has never had a true childhood."

"You see, that's my point." Sam said quickly. "What does two girls like that have in common with Usa? Usagi is the epitome of normal. She bright, funny, open…"

"And this is why Ami and Rei are now her friends." She turned to her son and regarded him carefully. "Besides, I think Usagi needs them."

That statement puzzled him. "Why would she need them?"

"I don't know exactly." She looked away from him. "It's just how I feel when I see Usa with them. She gives more of herself to Rei and Ami than she would to her other friends. She happier, more confident…It is almost how she when she is with Darien or Lita." Ilene laughed sheepishly. "Here I am reading more into my daughter's relationships. Oh, Sam. Just be happy for your sister. She adores you and she cares for her friends. Don't make her sad because of your mistrust."

"But Mommy…"

"Shh." She laid two fingers over his lips. "No more, Sam. Ami and Rei are good children. You should try to become friends with them. You might learn to like them."

He sighed and surrendered to his mother's logic. "Yes, Mom."

"Good. Since Lita is out with her friends tonight, I have to make supper." She said over her shoulder. "Sam, be a dear and ask everyone what they want. We're doing take out."

He laughed after her, "Nothing like a home cooked meal, eh, Mom."

"I'm doing your laundry." She told him, "I refuse to slave over a hot stove for you."

Sam rushed about the house taking the orders. The last room on his stop was his sisters. He peeked inside of the room and smiled at the warm sight. Usagi lay facing the door with her hands tucked under her chin. Her long hair was unbound and fell over her shoulder, almost to the floor. Holding her was a sleeping Darien.

Sam eased out of the room, a slight smile on his face. He would let them sleep, but when he got Darien home, Sam was going to bust that kid's chops about sleeping in bed with his sister.

**4**

The day of the ball was upon them and Tokyo was swept up in the frenzy. International and national press agencies had descended upon Abuzu and spread to the little suburbs of Juuban and the Mugen Delta.

Last minute preparations were underway at the Tomoe home, where the four girls were getting ready. Hotaru was gracious enough to share her hairstylist and make-up artist with Usagi and her friends.

Usa and Hotaru were dressed and waiting for Ami and Rei. Darien had called Usa to let her know he would be picking her up in ten minutes. Frankie was already there, in the Tomoe kitchen. His father had sent a car for him, along with a set of instructions.

Ami was going to ride alone with Hotaru to pick up Sam then she was being dropped off at her home. Her father was to meet her at her home and they would go to ball from there.

Frankie returned from the kitchen with a sour look on his face. Hotaru flashed him a malicious grin. "What? You couldn't find anything to satisfy your picky palate?"

He shot her an unfriendly glare. "Are you always this friendly or is it just me?"

"You are the one referred to as the Menace." She replied sweetly.

Before Frankie could reply, Usa asked, "What's wrong, Frankie?"

Frankie threw himself into a chair with a dramatic sigh. "It is my father's wish that I suffer for all eternity."

The two girls exchanged looks. "Uh huh." The petite blonde gestured for him to continue.

Frankie turned tragic blue eyes on Usa. "You don't understand, babe. My father wants nothing more in the world than seeing Dia and I together."

"And—" Hotaru said.

"_Y casado_." He said bitterly.

A blank look crossed Usa's face, "Huh?"

"Married," Hotaru translated. She snickered, "You unlucky bastard."

"Sam is truly unfortunate; for he has willing tied himself to you, Hota-chan," the blond Spaniard drawled. "But don't worry, he'll come out of his stupor and leave you." He winked at Usa. "When will the Cover-boy show up?"

"Soon," she told him. "He had to meet with his guardians and lawyers about something."

"The life of a poor little rich boy." Hotaru stood up and walked over to one of the large bay windows that over looked her well-manicured front lawn. "If Shields wasn't such a snide little child, I would sympathize with him."

"Darien is not as bad as you make him out to be." Usa rushed to defend her love's honor.

"No, it is his sister who is truly the worst." Hard black eyes stared unseeing at the world beyond her gates at her father's legacy and her life's burden.

Frankie had a confused look on his face. "Darien has a sister?"

"Not a biological one. He's an only child." Usa told him. Her attention was drawn to her friend. She stared worriedly after her. "Hotaru's talking about the daughter of the family Darien lived with before he moved in with you all. Her name is Wilhelmina Aino."

It took him a moment to connect the name with a face when he did, Frankie's eyes lit up. "Mina?" Frankie cried. "The model?" Damn, the cover boy knew a supermodel. Of course Frankie knew his fair share of models and actresses, but none was as beautiful as Mina. Frankie wanted to die. His only reason for coming to Japan was to meet the elusive beauty. However, after two years, he had still not gotten an invitation.

"Usa," Frankie dropped to his knees before the petite blonde who drew back from the crazed look in his eyes. Frankie grabbed the hem of her gown and stared up at her with puppy dog eyes. "You have to help me. You must get Darien to…"

There was a slight noise on the staircase. Hotaru half turned and she was forced to do a double take.

"Oh, my God." Usa raised a hand to wipe at tear as she gazed upon her two friends. "Girls!" She stood up quickly and knocked over the dazed Frankie. She rushed to her purse, pulled out her camera, and snapped two quick pictures. "My mom would have never forgiven me if I didn't take a couple." She grinned sheepishly. She directed her gaze to Frankie and scowled. "Won't you behave?"

Frankie continued to lie there; his eyes were riveted on the girl in the lavender gown.

Rei pulled her shawl over her shoulders and fidgeted with the tiny straps that encircled her neck. "I feel naked." She complained.

"You look wonderful." Usa told her, "Both of you look great." She tossed her camera to Hotaru and rushed over to the two brunettes. "We need a couple of us together, for our scrapbooks." She grinned broadly as she laced her arms through theirs and said, "Everyone smile." Hotaru captured the moment for them.

As she lowered the camera, Hotaru had a sense of déjà vu.

_Other voices filtered through her mind and the room changed. The place where she stood was all white. White walls, marble floors with large Dutch style windows and French windows with gossamer drapes flashed through her vision. _

_Soft whispers of laughter tickled her ears. Hotaru wanted to turn to the voices. She wanted to see them…_

_See who? Her mind wondered._

_Them, was the reply._

_A flash of white drew her attention towards the French windows. Ghostly hands pushed aside the crepe thin drapes and threw open the windows to reveal a balcony and rose covered trellis. _

_"…seph…"_

_Who? She tried to ask._

_Spirit hands held the drapes aside. Hotaru had a sense of being pushed forward; was something beyond the lace that the spirit wanted her to see?_

_"…sepho…" She felt hands on her face making her look up into the dark velvet sky._

_What is…? The questions died in her mind and on her tongue as she beheld the most horrific sight._

_"…sephone…"_

_With her eyes wide, her mouth agape in fear, Hotaru tried to pull away. She did not want to see this. This was not real, it could not be…_

_"…seph…"_

_No! She screamed. All sound was denied her. Hotaru closed her eyes tight, trying desperately to forget the sight._

_"…sepho…"_

"Hotaru?" Usagi's gentle voice pierced her thoughts. "Do you have a bat anywhere?"

Hotaru blinked. Her vision cleared, she was once again in the front room of her house with Usa and the others.

Frankie had shoved the others aside playfully and pulled Rei into his arms for a photograph. Ami was laughing at his antics and the confused/embarrassed expression on Rei's face.

"Frankie, what did I tell you?" Usa's back was up and she was hissing. She was back in protector/lioness mode.

With a grand flourish, Frankie dipped Rei low. He leered down at the startled girl, and then he looked up at Usa and winked. "This is just for my father's benefit. Hota-chan, take the picture, I can't stay like this forever, this girl is heavy."

"What did you say?" demanded the bristling miko.

"I am holding you with one hand." He said in a pained voice.

Rei smacked his other arm. "I am not fat."

"Oww." He cried out childishly, "Dang woman, I never said you were. I just said you were heavy…" He cried out again as the flash hit him in the eyes. "What the hell?"

A malicious grin graced Hotaru's face as handed Usa her camera. "I am going to need a copy of that." She told her.

"That was cruel, Hota-chan." Frankie sulked. "I was supposed to be a dashing Don Juan, tossing my hair while gazing lasciviously down upon this fresh beauty in my arms. I was to be inspiring, bold, and romantic." He sighed dramatically and pouted for all his worth. "You have wounded me, _Señorita_ Tomoe." He lowered his head in shame to Rei's breast.

The girl went from milk white to fiery red in under two seconds. Usa raised her camera just in time to snap Rei smacking Frankie upside the head.

"I want a copy." Both Hotaru and Ami told her.

The doorbell rang just as Rei started to rip into Frankie.

Hotaru's butler appeared in the doorway, "Miss Tomoe, a Mr. Shields is here."

"Show him in, Kazuhiro." She waved him away. She reached up to rub away the tension in her neck. Her mind returned to that that image; Hotaru suppressed a shudder at the memory. It could not have been a figment of her imagination. It had been too real. Then what had it been?

Kazuhiro appeared again. His iron gray hair and mustache against his thin, old face sent a sudden chill down his employer's spine.

"Mr. Shields…"

Behind her, Usa called out happily. "Darien!"

Time seemed to slow down. Hotaru felt as if she were watching a movie being played in slow motion. She watched Usa run past her, long shimmering locks of pale blonde hair fanned out behind her. Her arms opened as she raced into the arms of her beloved. Darien caught her into him embrace and pulled her close. Their arms locked about each other in desperate holds, almost as if they were afraid of being ripped apart…_Again._

Rei gasped softly. A wave of emotions rushed through her as her eyes were drawn to her two friends. Pain and sadness seemed to trail after them, strongly cloaking the two and their love. Sudden tears stung the back of her eyes as she continued watching them and the shadows that hovered over them.

They were not meant to last long in this world. Their love was too intense, all consuming. It was so beautiful in it is destructiveness. Rei's heart ached for them and the unfairness of it all. They were so young, so happy. They had finally found each other—_Again_.

What did that mean? Rei turned her wet eyes back to her friends. Two ponderous tears flew from her lashes. In her mind's eye she was watching two of her dearest friends dying and her world falling in on itself.

"Rei-chan." Ami said quietly. She moved closer to her friend.

Rei looked into Ami's eyes and with a start, she realized that Ami had felt it as well.

The petite brunette took the miko's hand and squeezed it. _We will protect them._ Her touched conveyed to her sister Senshi.

_No matter what it takes_. Rei nodded. _She was our first friend and then our leader._

Darien pulled back slightly to look down at his girlfriend. "So this is my dress?" He held her arms out so he could get the full effect of her gown.

"You've taken to wearing dresses now, Shields." Hotaru said bitingly.

Darien tore his eyes from the more interesting parts of Usa's pale peach gown to glare at the older girl. "Why are you concerned? Do you think I will look better in one than you?" He kissed both of Usa's hands. "Ami, Rei, you both are simply gorgeous."

"Thank you, Darien." Rei said, "You are looking dapper in your finery."

"Oh, this old thing." He batted his lashes outrageously.

"Then you ladies should be thanking Dave and me." Frankie joined in. "Cover-boy wanted to go with the traditional look with tails and a waistcoat. This jacket suits you much better and the full silk tie is much better than a bowtie."

"Yeah, yeah." Darien stooped to kiss Usa again. "We need to go."

"Why the rush?" She breathed huskily as she followed him for another kiss.

"I have a surprise for you." He said dreamily.

"I can do without another present." She said as she drew him back in.

He was helpless to resist, even if he wanted to. They had not seen each other for a complete day…a full day without physical contact.

"Oh, stop!" Hotaru turned away in disgust. "Christ, you're going to eat the lipstick from her mouth, Shields."

"This is indecent." Frankie slipped his hands over Rei's and Ami's eyes. "Cover boy, break it up. Or will Hotaru have to break out the hose?"

Reluctantly, the lovers parted. With a wicked grin, Darien pulled Usa out of the room.

"Usa, you forgot your wrap." Hotaru grabbed said items. Usa hurried back inside for her things. She flashed her friends a cheeky grin.

"Buns!" Darien hollered, "Come on, baby, let's go."

"Hold your horses, Nerd-boy." She hurried back to his waiting arms.

Frankie lowered his arms to drape over the two girls. "I hate to see the day those two are—how do you say _casado_."

"Married." Ami tried to his arm from across her shoulders.

"Yeah, that." He pulled her into a headlock. "The guys and I bet that the kid will be born three months after the wedding. Well, I say one, but the others are more generous…"

"Does Sam know about this bet?" Hotaru asked coldly.

He grinned as Ami continued to fight against him. "You think we're stupid?"

"How much is in the pot?" She asked him.

"A hundred grand, American at Josh and Dave's insistence."

She nodded, "I want in and I will match the highest bid and say three days."

"Three days," the two younger girls cried in unison.

"Usa isn't called 'bunny' for nothing." She laughed. "But come on, people. I have to pick up Sam and, Ami you are going to meet your father."

Darien opened the back of the limousine to allow Usa to precede him.

"What is my surprise?" She asked, and then let out a surprised scream.

Darien slipped in behind her and closed the door. "Well, aren't you going to…?"

She tore out of the arms of her friend to kiss him quickly. "You are so cruel to me." She poked him in the side playfully. "But I love this." She reached for her friend's hand. "This is truly one of the best surprises I've had in a long while."

**5**

Rei looked out at the line of cars before them, then back at the even longer line behind them, and sighed tiredly.

"_Si, Senor_," Frankie had been on the telephone with his father for the last ten minutes. He felt very rude, speaking in his native tongue while his guest sat by in silence. He had become more and more agitated and tense as the call progressed, until he sat beside her white knuckled and tight-lipped. "Have I ever embarrassed you, _Padre_? No, I am not being disrespectful, _Sen_--Forgive me, Padre. _Si_." He raised his hand to his brow to massage the bridge of his nose. "I will speak with her Highness, however, I will not—" He closed his eyes as his father told him what he would do. "I have a date, Papa." He voice was weary.

Rei turned away from the sights of the embassy. Worry clouded her eyes as she watched Darien's friend.

"Francisco?" She reached up and took his hand away from his face. He opened his eyes and looked into hers. "You need to breathe." She told him.

Maybe it was the gentle timber in her voice, or the concerned look in her dark violet eyes, but something changed deep within him at that moment. Hino Rei was suddenly more than some fresh-faced little girl he had met a few days before. No, Frankie felt as if he knew her; that he knew everything about her, to the smallest nuances of her personality…her very person. It seemed impossible, yet at the same time, it was true. It was as if he had found another part of him, a part that he did not know was missing until that moment. A goddess with red hair that was so dark that it seemed to be black. A goddess of fire and battle—Oh, what was her name?

"Francisco?" Rei said nervously as she fidgeted under his intense stare.

"Francisco!" His father barked into his ear. "Are you still there?"

Frankie took his eyes away from the worried girl. "I have to go, _Padre_." He said quickly in Spanish. "We have come to the entrance. Please, give my love to _Madre. Adios_." He pressed the little red button to end the call.

Rei was gathering her things. From her purse, she withdrew a compact and gave her face a once over.

Frankie found her innocent vanity charming. In his opinion, Rei was far more attractive without all the face paint. He started to tell her so when something in her bag caught his eye.

It was a long, bright red pen with the symbol of Mars on its cap. Rei stuffed her compact back inside and snapped her handbag closed. Frankie opened his mouth to inquire about the pen only to have the door open at his side. He resolved to ask her about it later. He stepped out to meet a barrage of flash bulbs. He turned back to the darkened limo to allow his eyes to clear, and offered his right hand to Rei.

"Come along, Miss Hino." He murmured against her ear as they strolled down the red carpet, "The princess awaits."

Inside, Ami was already working. Luna had snuck in, and Ami had attached a modified camera to her collar and sent the cat off to find the crystal.

At the entrance, the major domo announced, "Don Francisco Alvarez de la Santa Maria del Toro of Madrid with Miss Rei Yow-Hino."

Ami spared the serene couple a passing glance before heading out to the gardens.

Rei had seen Ami leave and knew the game was already afoot. She glanced about quickly but did not see Usa or Darien, but she caught a glance of Hotaru already on the dance floor with a very handsome, tuxedo clad Sam Tsukino. She smiled wistfully, those two made one handsome couple.

"Darien Chiba-Shields of Tokyo," the major domo boomed, "With Miss Serena Tsukino and Miss Wilhelmina Aino."

Rei almost tripped over her front hem when she heard that. She turned around quickly and could not believe it. Falling in step behind her two friends was the most beautiful person Rei had ever beheld. She heard Frankie make a small sound beside her and she could not blame him.

The woman was simply gorgeous. She tall, almost as tall as Usa's cousin, with long, dark golden blonde hair that stopped at her hips, pale blue-gray eyes, which seemed not to miss anything. She wore a dark blue, form-fitting gown that hugged every curve of her body. A simple gold chain rested on her tanned skin and earrings just as beautiful in their simplicity graced her ears.

Rei would not have been surprised had Frankie abandoned her at that moment to chase after the glamorous, supermodel. Moreover, she wished he would since she had work to do.

"Rei," Usa called delightedly after she and Darien were announced. She turned around and caught Mina's hand and half dragged the girl over to Rei and Frankie. "I have someone I'm dying for you to meet." She waved to Sam and Hotaru on the dance floor. Hotaru had caught sight of her blonde rival and was trying to get away. "Rei-chan. This is Darien's sister, Mina Aino. Mina, this is one of my new best friends I've been telling you about in my e-mails."

"Yes, both Usagi and Darien have mentioned you a great deal in their e-mails. You and another young lady, Amy, I believe."

"Ami, sis." Darien corrected as he joined them. "Usa, I've been spotted by some eager looking mama with her daughter. Shall we escape this dreary soirée?" He reached for her hand.

"I would love to save you, nerd-boy."

Darien carried her delicate hand to his lips. "You make me swoon, Buns." He pulled her into his arms and they hurried off.

Mina turned back to the staring couple and started to say something only to be interrupted by a four elegantly attired girls, calling out. "Don Francisco." The girls called at once.

Rei looked around and spotted Ami at the veranda entrance. Usa and Darien were already upstairs. That only left her to get into position. And she needed to hurry; the enemy had just arrived. She yelped when Frankie glommed onto her right arm.

The girls glared daggers at her yet continued their advance. Frankie was almost cowering hiding behind her skirts. Mina looked at them questioningly. Rei smiled weakly as she wondered if her night could get any worst.

**6**

Ami smiled at passing group of revealers and from the folds of her gown, she withdrew her mini computer.

"TK, Bunny, do you read me?" She said into her hidden microphone.

Darien pulled Usa into a shadowed corner and lowered his face to hers. "We read you, Merc." Usa whispered into her mic.

"Priestess?" Ami said.

It had taken some effort, but Rei had managed to lose Frankie and transform. Now Sailor Mars leapt onto a third story balcony, she ducked down as the security cameras swept the area. "I'm here." She whispered back. "All's clear up here."

"Any sign of the party crashers?" Darien asked her.

Mars closed her eyes and concentrated on the feelings she was receiving. "Not yet, but I know they are here, TK, and they are close."

Usa wrapped her arms around Darien's neck, "Alright. We will check the second floor and family quarters; Luna should have finished with her sweep of the attic and should be back on the first floor. Merc, hold your position."

"Roger." Both girls signed off.

Darien checked the hallway, it was finally clear. He grabbed Usa's hand and they took off.

"Dare," Usa said after a few minutes of snooping and spying.

"Yeah, babe?" He pulled open another armoire and came up empty.

"If this turns out to be this Silver Imperial Crystal, what do you think will happen next?"

"We'll find the Moon Princess, I guess." He turned back to her and tried to smile. "That's what this entire thing is about, right?"

She glanced down at her feet, hoping he would not see the sadness on her face.

That was one of Darien's many failings; he always noticed things, especially when it concerned his bunny. He went to her and laced his arms about her waist. "I know this is upsetting to you and believe me, I know how you feel…"

"But I have this feeling, Darien." She cried softly.

He laid a finger across her lips. "Shh." He raised his hand to tip up her chin, so she could see the truth of his words. "I love you, Serena Rensselaer-Tsukino. I love you and no one else. No one will ever mean as much to me as you do. I will not let them, I am selfish that way, but I don't care. I do not need or want anyone else in my life except for you. I love you…"

"How touching. Humans with their overly sentimental drivel."

The two looked up sharply. Darien grabbed Usa and shoved her behind him as he glared at the demon before them.

It was the creature from the business district; the one that had attacked Sailor Moon. Darien stared contemptuously at the humanoid monster that leered down at them. This one seemed to have a brain of sorts. Instead of the gray uniform, the thing wore a tuxedo, Tuxedo Kaman's suit to be exact.

Darien's mouth thinned as his dark eyes narrowed dangerously. "What the hell are you and what the fuck do you want?"

Usa smacked him lightly on the back for his foul language.

The creature tipped its head to one side; the insidious leer became a bold smirk. "What I am, boy, is far more superior to you lowly humans. As for what I want? Well, that is easy. I want the Imperial Crystal and your deaths, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen." With that, the creature threw out his left hand and blasted the two out the window.

Ami had heard it all. She came racing from the gardens fully transformed as she leapt over a ten-foot high hedge. People were screaming and running as glass and part of the wall came raining down from the third floor. She leapt out of the way of the falling debris and raised her eyes to the gigantic hole in the wall. To her horror, Mercury saw Darien hanging from the loosening brick by one hand. His other arm was wrapped protectively about Usagi's waist.

"Darien!" She heard her friend's terrified scream.

Mercury was desperate. She had to do something, but what?

"Usa!" Sam had rushed out side when he heard the blast. Nothing prepared him for this horrific sight. His kid sister's life was uncertain and some psychotic, floating madman was about to kill her.

Nephlyte floated out of the hole in the wall, a dark energy ball hovered between his hands, slowly gaining strength. "Good-bye, Sailor Brat." He raised his hands high as he prepared to end their lives.

"No!" Usa shouted.

Darien grunted painfully. He was not going to let Usa die. He would not let her die. Dear God! His soul cried out. He had to save her.

Cackling madly, Nephlyte extended his arms over his head. Darien tightened his hold on Usa. The demon hurled the ball of dark power at the two…

"No!" Sam raced forward, screaming, "Usa!"

Mercury was leaping through the air. She had to make it!

At the last second, Darien let go of the wall. The black ball missed his head by inches. Nephlyte roared in denial as his targets escaped him. Darien slipped his free arm beneath Usa's legs as he prepared to take the brunt of the landing. Nephlyte dove after them just as Darien landed in a deep crouch.

Usa looked up and screamed, "Darien!"

He knew the bastard would attack; Darien had been counting on it. He set Usa down before him; she shrank back as the blade of his sword came up before her.

She realized what he was going to do, but she would not allow it.

Nephlyte was bearing down on them, a fanatical gleam in his blue eyes as he envisioned the death of the two warriors.

Darien was tense, ready to spring forward. Usa clasped her transformation broach tight to her breast. She would not let him do this alone.

Black energy formed around Nephlyte's hands, he drew back and—and was tackled from the air.

"Who…?" Mars landed before the two on the ground.

"Mars," Usa whispered urgently. "Where's Merc? We need some cover over here."

Mars called to the other warrior. Mercury was still perched on her hedge, watching some unknown warrior in black armor beat the life out of their latest enemy. The two rolled about on the garden floor, crushing foliage, and knocking over anything that had the misfortune of being in their way.

Nephlyte managed to toss the stranger off and went for his attack.

"Mercury," Usa shouted. "Smoke screen! Now."

The warrior of ice and water shook off her surprised stupor and called out, "_Shabon Spray!_" A dense, heavy fog settled over the ruined garden, hiding the contenders from all prying eyes. Mercury jumped down and ran to aid the stranger. She grabbed up a fallen tree limb to use as a weapon. She prayed she was not making a mistake and was being led into a trap. With her visor in place, she located the scuffling pair easily. Mercury held her makeshift club aloft as she leapt in the air.

The armored warrior looked up quickly and then without warning, he grabbed his foe by the arms and yanked him forward, directly under the Senshi's limb. The thick piece of wood bounced off the red headed creature's head with a wet, mushy sound, akin to an overripe melon being thrown against a wall.

Nephlyte staggered forward, tipping back before toppling to the ground in an unmoving heap. Mercury dropped to the ground in a crouch, prepared to strike with her broken club if that creature made the slightest attempt to move.

The person in the armor was also waiting; his right hand hovered over the sword at his side.

Behind him the hedges moved, he stood up, ready for another one of the dark minions.

Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Kamen, and Sailor Mars leapt over the hedge to stand before their friend.

The two Senshi looked down at Mercury and the half broken tree limb in her hands.

"You okay, Merc?" Kamen asked over his shoulder, his eyes were riveted on the stranger standing on the other side of Nephlyte.

"_Hai_, Kamen, I'm fine."

"Who's your friend?" Mars clenched her fists tightly; flames came to life around her gloved hands.

A black warp hole opened beneath the downed Nephlyte. The armored warrior leapt forward, crying out harshly, his sword came flashing out of his scabbard only to cut off one of Nephlyte's hands before the creature was swallowed in the shadows.

"Damn it!"

Kaman pounced on the distracted warrior. The two rolled about for a couple of minutes before the tuxedo clad warrior pinned the stranger down.

"Who the hell are you?" the caped crusader had his sword back and was holding it over his prisoner throat.

"_Iso_!" The stranger cried out. "I'm on your side, _hombre_."

He pressed the blade closer, his eyes darkened dangerously. "Who are you?" Kamen ground out through clenched teeth.

The man on the ground swallowed hard. "Francisco de la Santa Maria del Toro. My friends call me Frankie…"

Sailor Moon almost fell over. "Frankie!" She cried in disbelief.


	5. The Dark Kingdom: Chapter V

**Five**

**1**

Usa decided that life could not get much worst than it already had, but it did.

Welcome to the day after the ball. A beautiful Sunday afternoon at Hikawa Jinja. It was a mild day, not overly warm; the temperature was comfortable around the temple grounds and slightly cool in the shade.

Usa, Ami, and Rei were resting on a blanket underneath one of the temple's famous cherry blossom trees, watching the lazy progression of large puffy clouds in the sky as they listened to Darien and Frankie's conversation.

The two young men were dressed in the blue and white robes of a novice. They had refused the wooden sandals Yurrichio had offered them and kept on their running shoes.

Usa had a good laugh at her boyfriend's expense while Rei thanked him for his generosity by helping out his friend. Usa and Ami managed to pull the industrial priestess away from the work, chase off Yurrichio, and enjoy the picnic Usa had brought.

Luna lay in the center of the blanket, scowling at everyone.

"I really don't know what happened." Frankie was saying. He kicked a rock out of his path and continued with his raking. "I just felt something…can't explain it."

"You best try…" Luna started.

Rei dropped a napkin over the cat's face.

"I'm never gonna get used to that." Frankie said as he signed a cross over his chest. "A talking a cat."

"Ignore her," Darien told him. "That's what I do. What do we call you in battle, by the way?"

Frankie laughed, "Jadeite." He told them.

The four warriors stared at him as if he were mad.

"What?" He cried.

"Jedite?" Luna almost screeched.

"Jedite?" Darien was reaching for a rose.

"Jedite?" Frankie looked confused. "Like in _Star Wars_? No, _hombre_. Jadeite, like the stone, jade, but then you add 'ite'."

"And how do you know this?" Darien asked.

His friend shrugged. "I don't. I just know it feels right. You know?"

"Sort of."

"Yet you have no idea of how you transformed?" asked Ami getting back to their earlier question.

"Not at all." He squinted up at the sky. "Well, I remember thinking about someone—a person who is very important to me…Someone I would give my life for." He finished quietly.

Darien and Usa were staring at him with twin expressions of horror and disbelief.

"Frankie is being serious." Usa cried. "Oh, God, Darien. Hell has frozen over!" She collapsed on her side, screaming in terror.

Ami threw a wadded up napkin at her. "Be serious."

"I am!" Usa hollered.

"Anyway," Darien scooped up a small pile of grass and walked over to his braying girlfriend. "This person you were thinking about. Was it a girl?"

Frankie eyed him skeptically. "Why does it always have to be about a girl with you?"

Darien flashed him a superior grin. "Why, Francisco I didn't know you swung that way."

"I don't, you pervert. Shut up."

Darien dumped the grass on Usa. "What did I tell you about braying? It's ain't attractive on farm animals and it sure as hell isn't an attractive sound coming from my girlfriend."

She sputtered, spitting out grass as she pushed herself. "Shields, you're dead…"

He grabbed her brow and pushed her back down. "Okay, you don't know if your person is a guy or girl?"

"It's a guy." He joined the group and dropped down beside the basket. "I would bet Drew's favorite jersey on it."

"A guy?" Rei said. "We are searching for a Princess and crystal…"

Frankie shook his head, "Don't know anything about a princess or some crystal. I…" He looked up at the sky, the colour seemed to mimic his eye colour. "I have to find the others."

The group was looking at him strangely.

Darien cleared his throat loudly. Frankie lowered his gaze to them and they all smiled at him.

"The others?" Darien asked skeptically. Yeah, Frankie was defiantly off.

Frankie nodded. "Yeah."

"Would you care to elaborate?" Luna said.

He looked away. "You all are connected to the moon?"

They exchanged questioning looks. The girls gestured for Usa to answer him, she glared at them, and Rei waved her fist under Usa's nose. She growled then sighed. "We," she gestured at Rei, Ami, and herself. "We are connected to moon and we are searching for our Princess."

"Serenity." Frankie said quietly.

The four warriors looked down at Luna. The cat was staring at Frankie with her mouth gapped open. "How--?" the cat sputtered.

The young Spaniard rolled to his feet and grabbed his rake and went back to work. And that was extremely odd for him. Darien and Usagi were freaking out again.

"He's industrious." Rei murmured.

"He avoided Luna's question." Ami stood up and went over to where Frankie was.

"What the hell is going on?" Darien stared wide-eyed at his housemate.

Absently, Usa smacked his arm. "Stop swearing." She then remembered something. "Luna," she picked up the cat and turned it to her face. "You've been holding out on us _again_, kitty."

Luna trembled at the dangerous look in the girl's icy eyes. "I have a good reason."

"None that will excuse this omission." Usa said gravely.

Rei chose to join in at that point. "I wonder what else she's been keeping from us, Usagi-chan."

"Yes, Luna. What other secrets have you been keeping from us?" The girl purred with a completely evil look in her cool eyes.

While Luna was being interrogated, Ami was trying to get some more answers from Frankie. The normally open, talkative young man was surprising tight-lipped on the on the matters of his sudden abilities and whomever it was that he served. They all decided to let the matter drop for the moment and finished their work around the temple.

The next few days were odd ones. There were no attacks—of the mutated critter kind—but the group was attacked by the press. Frankie and Usa watched all five exposes of the "Sailor Girls and the Crime Fighting Phantom." (One imaginative reporter had dubbed them, the Super Sailor V fighters and the Caped Swordsman.) Darien hated every name the press had given him and he complained about being second to them. (He started shortly after Sailor V had disappeared, four months _before_ Usagi uttered her transformation phrase.)

Usa and her mom and Molly went all out on the Sailor Girls' merchandise. She even dragged Darien out on her largest shopping spree. By the end of the week, Usagi owned all the Sailor Girls' paraphernalia. Darien refused to enter her bedroom saying it was narcissism at its worst. (He secretly owned a Sailor Moon action figure. But it was his secret.)

By week's end, Frankie was ready to give up his search for his 'others'. The enemy hadn't shown and all he done was join Darien and the girls at the gym for training, go to his classes, and attempt to study. Saturday afternoon rolled around and still nothing had happened.

Darien was in Osaka with his father for something that Darien said was important. The little brunette chick with the short hair was away at swim meet which left Frankie patrolling with Usa and the very delectable little miko who had captured Frankie's attention from the moment they first met.

Usagi was driving them around town in Darien's latest toy, a Porsche Cayenne. (Darien loved Porsche and Porsche loved him.)

"I still can't believe Darien lets you drive his car." Rei said from the back seat. They had just picked her from her family temple, late that lazy afternoon. Yurrichio had been on the grounds, glaring at Frankie. The two had been staring and gauging each other, like two predatory wolves sniffing about the same mate. But Frankie was not going to allow that shaggy-haired lecher get anywhere near what Frankie had decided was his.

Frankie was thinking of a ways of asking Rei out, when Usa pulled sharply pulled into a parking space and got out. Rei was already moving, Usa looked back at Frankie and told him to get moving. One of the alarms Ami had set up was going off. Frankie got out and watched as Usa and Rei took two of Darien's rapiers from the converted trunk and hid them in a black case which Usa strapped to her back and they ran for the park.

"Damned creatures always went to the park," Rei muttered.

Usa smirked. They were becoming more like each other. Now if she could only be more graceful or genteel like Rei, Usa's life would have been perfect.

They all ducked into an alley and transformed. Then it was off to the rooftops.

**2**

Lita wanted to kick herself being all kinds of fools. Lita had, while in a drunken stupor, agreed to do some of the grilling and she had been doing since she got there. She also had Usa's rotten little animal with her for her sorority's mascot. It was the annual KO University Frat and Sororities picnic/barbeque. She was hot, bored, and smelled of charcoal and cooked meats. She had seen Mina Aino earlier, they chatted briefly before Mina went off to talk to her sisters. Hotaru and Sam hung around before she and Mina went at it. Dave and Jiro dropped by to eat, Josh was there for a couple, but he left soon after to finish with one of his paper. No one had seen Frankie all day, which was odd for a guy who practically lived for free food and beer.

Still, she had been expecting to see Usa. That girl could hang with the best of them when it came to eating and free food, she would run down Frankie if he got in between her and piece of free food.

Lita was just turning another set of burgers when she heard the first scream. She looked up and was tackled from to the ground. Lita heard someone scream her name and the next second the gigantic bee-like creature was knocked off her. She tried to sit up but was gently pushed back down. Long, platinum blonde hair, streaked with silver fell before her eyes. Lita's looked up and her eyes went wide in shock. Kneeling beside her was one of the Sailor girls, the blond one. Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon hovered protectively over her cousin, her pale eyes narrowed into dangerous slits as she waited for the droid to attack again. In the background she could hear Mars and Jadeite working on the rest.

Slowly, the warrior rose to her feet, her right hand went to her brow. The creature roared and made to charge the two girls. Moon snatched her tiara from her brow and sent it flying. The creature dodged it, which was what Moon was expecting. She leapt over her cousin, rushed forward as she drew her sword from her subspace pocket and plunged it into the creature's heart. The beast screamed in pain and tried to fall back, Moon stayed on it. She pushed the blade in deeper until it tore its back, the thing screams became shrill from agony. Moon ripped the blade out its chest and stabbed it in the throat. The force of the blow sent the creature to the ground where it twitched violently until it died. Moon looked about the park with hard silver eyes. There were ten mutated freaks; Mars and Jadeite were swamped as people and paparazzi crowded about to watch the "show," they all seemed to have forgotten that this was real and that people could die.

She was not about to let that happen. Sailor Moon reached up and caught her tiara. Grimly, she replaced the ornament to her brow. Something dangerous and powerful came to life in her eyes.

The air seemed to come to life. Charged with lighting, magic, and life. Lita had never felt anything like this before. Whatever it was, it called to her and joined the melody in her blood and thundered along with the rhythm in her heart.

It was strong, stronger than anything she had ever known.

Sailor Moon closed her eyes and relished in the new gift that had been bestowed upon her.

_"…Princess…"_ the wind seemed to whisper. _"…Princess…"_

She reached for it.

_Why was she protecting her?_

_Shouldn't it be…?_

_…It is your scared duty as…_

Her fingertips grazed it.

_Our once peaceful kingdom…Our beautiful…_

_…She glows with white light…Our once peaceful kingdom…_

Almost! If she could only grab it.

_…to protect the Princess…_

_…sworn never leave her…_

_"Get up!"_

She was jerked to her feet by invisible hands.

_ "Take it now!"_

Her hand closed around the cylinder, she felt a rush power fill her.

_ "Defend our holy Kingdom."_

_ "Defend our holy Kingdom."_

Mars turned away from the creature she had just set ablaze as she tried to locate the voice.Defend our holy Kingdom? Who?

Her eyes searched for Sailor Moon but her eyes were drawn to the glowing figure behind her.

_"Mars!"_ Jadeite shouted to her.

Mars was not listening. All she could think about was getting to her leader. She whipped out two of her charms and flung them on two beasts coming on both sides of her. The creatures froze in their tracks.

_"Moon!"_ Mars shouted as the thing behind the petite warrior rose up.

"_Moon Healing Escalation!_" Sailor Moon thrust a staff in the air. The large crescent moon on top flashed brightly, drawing all the light to it, absorbing everything before it exploded in a brilliant display of intense white light.

Mars lowered her arm and she looked around at the sight. People were lowering their arms and hands from their eyes, but the creatures were gone. Piles of fine grain dust drifted about in the air. In the background people were asking each other what was going on and what had happened. She was wondering the same thing. Then she remembered the glowing thing that had been behind Sailor Moon. She turned back to her leader, her amethyst eyes became as large as saucers.

Jadeite lowered his sword as he stared at the girl in the green mini skirt and half boots.

"Lit—"

"Senshi!" Mars shot him a warning look.

Moon glanced back at the warrior standing behind her and she smiled.

"Sailor Jupiter, I presume?" A saucy grin appeared on her face.

The new looked down at herself and then back at the blonde warrior. "Us—"

"Senshi." Sailor Moon barked, "Retreat." She ran toward Jupiter, caught her arm and pulled her out of the park. Mars and Jadeite followed suit, ignoring the startled cries and calls for autographs from the college students in the park.

Their safe spot was half a block over near an abandoned warehouse. The three more experienced warriors detransformed. Jupiter gawked at them.

"Usa!" She cried in horror.

Usagi touched the emerald broach on her cousin's fuku and she demorphed. "Go back to the park and pretend that nothing happened." She ordered.

How was that possible? Lita started at her strangely. Her cousin, she was Sailor Moon and her friend was Mars and Frankie—She did not know what Frankie was.

Rei peeked around the corner. "It's clear." She told them.

Usa nodded. "We have to get back to the car. Frankie, you follow Lita back to the park. Wait three minutes then run in looking wild eyed and worried. Lita, damn, you're injuries have healed. But that will be alright. Just tell everyone that you were saved by the Senshi or something. Rei let's go."

"But, Usa…"

Her cousin and her friend were gone, leaving Lita alone with Frankie.

"What just happened to me?" She asked the empty air.

Frankie pulled out his sunglasses and ran his fingers through his disheveled hair. "What happened, _me amore_, is that you are now a Sailor Senshi looking for some Princess and a rock."

Lita turned her wild eyes on him, Frankie grinned.

"You'll get used to it." He winked before he covered his eyes. "But seriously, we need to get out of here. We do have secret identities to maintain."

**3**

Lita returned to the park a short while later and the first thing she heard was, "Sam, we found her!" The next thing was that she caught up in her cousin's arm and was being hugged to death.

"Oh, God, Lita." Sam cried as he checked her over for injuries. "Are you alright?"

She stared at him blankly.

When Lita did not answer him, Sam shook her hard. "Snap out of it, Lita." He was already worried, now this was scary. Sam caught her chin with one hand made her look at him. Lita's pupils were dilated and her were glassy. "Shit!" He swore under his breath. "Dave, Jiro! Help. It's Lita." Gently, Sam took Lita into his arms. His friends joined him and hurried for the closest exit.

Usagi's cell phone was ringing by the time she and Rei reached the car. She tossed the thing to Rei as she stowed their gear in the trunk.

"She's right here, Tsukino-san." Rei was saying as Usagi unlocked the doors. "No, we were on our way there. We are alright. _Hai, lie_? Her cousin was attacked?" She met Usagi's questioning gaze. "Tokyo General. _Hai, hai_. We will be there shortly." She rung off and handed the phone back to her friend. "Lita collapsed at the park." She told her.

Usa put the car in gear and pulled out of lot. "I'm not surprised. It the same thing that happened to you and Ami. She summoned her own transformation rod and managed to finish off that red headed demon that was behind her."

"The one from the Ball?" Rei was shocked.

She nodded. "I don't know how she did it, but her power joined with mine and she used it to take him down and turn him to dust."

"Are you sure it was she?" Rei asked skeptically.

"Who else could it have been? We were the only ones there." She noticed the intent, ponderous expression on her friend's face and she said. "I don't believe in Urban Legends, Rei."

"Nor do I," the other girl said quietly. "Yet Usa it would explain—"

"Sailor V is not real." Usagi said firmly.

"There are nine planets, Usa-chan. We've just located a fourth warrior."

"But V?" She said contemptuously.

"How about Venus?" The idea made sense to Rei. It felt right somehow.

Usa braked for a red light; she shook her head to clear it. "Sailor Venus?" She glanced at Rei.

The miko nodded. "Why not?"

Why not indeed, Usa mussed. The light changed and she turned left. "We won't know until we discover the truth. Does V really exist and if she does, is our ally or our enemy."

"You're a pessimist." Rei laughed softly.

Usa snorted, "Yeah and you're Mary-frickin'-sunshine right now."

"Cynic."

"Frankie lover."

Rei gasped. "Take that back, Usa!"

"Or is it Yurrichio who owns your heart?"

"It neither!" Rei declared haughtily. "I have no use for men in my life."

Usa smirked, "Yeah, right."

"I don't."

"You're just playing hard to get."

"You calling me a tease?"

"If the shoe fits!"

"Usa!"

The other girl laughed. "You are too easy, Rei."

"Bite me." Rei growled.

She pretended to think about it; all the while mischief was sparkling in her eyes. "Naw, I'll let Frankie or Yurrichio do that."

"Why couldn't you just stay away from my temple that day?" Rei moaned piteously.

Usa continued to laugh at her stricken expression.

They reached the hospital soon after. Usa and Rei rushed to emergency ward. The trauma center was pack and people were still coming in from the incident at the park. There were no serious injuries. The college students were complaining of slight headaches and had bruises from when they fell or collided with another person.

They managed to skirt the mess and find Lita already being released.

Everyone was there: Usa's parents, Sam and his housemates including a sheepish Frankie, Mina and Hotaru and four other people Usa did not know. Ilene was organizing everyone, they all wanted to accompany Lita home and make sure she was alright.

Usa waved Frankie over and surreptitiously slipped Darien's car keys into his hand before she rushed off to join her family.

A half-hour later Lita was settled in her bed with Usa tucked in beside her.

Usagi had climbed into bed with her cousin and gloomed to herself to Lita's side like a puppy. Sam was lounging at the foot of the bed, absently picking at the light summer quilt that covered the bed. The spacious room was packed with their friends, who covered every available space.

"I can't believe it, Li." Andrew was saying. "You met Sailor Moon."

"She didn't meet her, Drew." Hotaru made Sam sit up so she could sit on his lap. "Sailor Moon was saving her life."

"A lot of good that did her." A tall, slender blonde young woman with short hair said disgustedly. "One of those creatures still managed to carry Lita off."

"Alex, please." Lita said wearily. "There were only two Sailor girls there and they were doing their best."

"Yeah," Yaten Kou chimed in excitedly. "Dude, what happened to the other Sailor girl and the boy-toy in the tux?"

Frankie snickered. Darien was just going to love his latest nickname.

"I think they traded him in for the dude in the armor." Dave suggested.

"I don't know why? Boy toy was hot." Yaten sighed dreamily.

Rei stared at him for a moment before turning to Usa.

Usa looked like she was going to attack the famous pop star. How dare the fruity little bastard ogle her man!

"Wait!" Jiro called from Lita's desk, "I want to know where the chick in the green cheerleading costume came from?"

"I want to know to know where she got those out-dated ankle boots?" Mina threw in.

"Forget her. What about the red cheerleader has those 'Goddamn' high heels." Dave and Frankie shared a high five.

"Long legs, mini skirt," Frankie sang.

"All she needs is a pair of fishnet stockings, a little red garter and matching garter belt and I'm on it." Dave hooted.

"Testify!" Frankie shouted merrily.

"Naw man," Seiya put in, "The little one. That chick is hot to death."

"I want to hit that myself." Andrew put in.

Usa and Rei exchanged twin looks of horror and disgust.

"You pigs!" Hotaru spat. "Have you forgotten that there are ladies present?"

"_Da_, you gang of perverts." Alex said darkly. "We do not want about your _balnoy_ (sick) fantasies."

Frankie tapped Dave on the shoulder, "What does _balnoy_ mean?"

Dave shrugged, "I don't know. Ask the Russian."

"She said that you were sick." The latest member of their little group told them.

Lita looked up at the tall, dark skinned girl entered the room and she smiled broadly. "Trista." She waved the over. "Honey, I did not think you would make it?"

Honey? More than a few people mouthed.

"I was on my way back from the airport when I heard the news on the radio." Trista said as she bent to touch her cheek to Lita's. "Thanos was going to stay, but we called the hospital and they told us you weren't seriously injured."

"Oh, that was sweet of him." Lita moved her legs, making room for Trista to sit down. "I'm sorry I didn't get to see him before he left."

"Oh, don't worry about it." Trista made a dismissive gesture. "He had to get back to his restaurant before Milo burned it down or something."

"Still, I wanted to see him." Lita pouted. "I haven't seen him since Cory's wedding." She nudged Sam with her foot. "You remember Cory Duncan, right?"

He frowned for a moment, trying to affix the name to face, his eyes lit up and he nodded. "Yeah, his sister used to baby-sit us all when we lived in LA. My god, he's married?"

"Who are you guys talking about?" Hotaru demanded.

The three people blushed and laughed sheepishly. "Sorry, love." Sam pressed a kiss against her neck.

"We were just reminiscing." Lita told her.

"So you guys are American?" Alex asked them.

"Japanese and American," Sam told her.

"I'm German and American." Lita corrected.

"Kino's Japanese." Jiro said.

"It's also a German word." Lita yawned broadly. "But it doesn't matter."

"So you all grew up in La La Land." Dave asked.

Trista nodded. "The same neighborhood. All of the children of movie stars, directors, producers, and studio executives."

"Which one were your parents, Sam?" Jiro said.

"Mom. She was on a soap and did a few films before she started making a living as photojournalist." Sam found a lock of Hotaru's hair and started to play with it. "Lita's mom, our mom's twin, she was actress, too."

"Mother only did films." Lita said snidely. Sam stuck his tongue out at her in response.

"What about your dad?" Jiro asked interestedly.

"You've never heard of Kasper Kino?" Sam laughed.

"_The _Kasper Kino?" Jiro cried.

"Yes," Usa had to get in one. "The one and only. He's my uncle." She beamed.

"Shut up." Dave tossed a fuzzy slipper at her.

"But he was married to Daphne Rose and they had a daughter named Lindsay." Said one Kasper Kino fan, (Jiro had seen all of the man's film and was a student of his style.)

"Lindsey Brita Rensselaer-Kino." Lita told them.

"How did you come up with Lita?" Rei asked curiously.

"Their father?" Lita pointed at Usa and Sam. "He took the first two letters of my first name and the last two of my middle name and he came up with Lita and I've been stuck with it."

Usa was studying Trista and it hit her. "You're the girl Darien's tutoring!"

Trista looked down at the Usa shocked face and smiled. "I was beginning to wonder if you remembered me, Serena."

Usa threw herself in the older girl's arms and hugged her tight. "_Puu!_ Oh, my God." She sat back and looked Trista over, "Oh, wow! Why didn't you guys tell me that Trista was Puu! I was planning on kicking your ass for trying to get with my man." She hugged her again. "Wow, I haven't seen you seen since I was like five…Oh, but wait!" She let go of Trista so fast that the other girl fell back on the bed. She held her hand out to Rei. "Puu, this is one of my new best friends." She pushed the blankets back so Rei could climb in with her and Lita.

Rei flashed Lita an apologetic grin, Lita just nodded and made room for her.

"Puu, this is Rei Hino. Rei-chan, this my most favorite person in the world next to Lita, Mina, and Hotaru and Dave." She winked at the blond playboy on the who was clacking away on Lita's computer. He winked back.

"Trista Meiou." The olive skinned girl introduced herself.

"Puu." Usa corrected.

"It's an honor Meiou-san." Rei said politely.

"Please, just call me Trista."

Usa crawled over to Sam and Hotaru. "Hey, I want some ice cream."

"Do I look like Darien?" Sam shoved her back.

"Speaking of the child," Hotaru started.

"Don't start on my baby brother, you black haired witch." Mina said coldly.

Hotaru glared at him. "It would mean something if he truly was your brother, _Blondie_."

"You want a piece of me?" Mina hissed.

"Chick fight." Seiya hooted. The two girls glared at him. He paled and moved behind his taller brother. "I'm shutting up now." He squeaked.

"Will someone _please _get me some ice cream!" Usagi cried in desperation.

The phone at Lita's bedside rang. "_Moshii, moshii_." She had to plug her ear just so she could hear who was on the other end. "Grandmother? Hello." She glared at the people in the room. Sam almost shoved Hotaru off his lap. Usa tripped over both Rei and Trista as she tried to get out of the bed. "Yes, ma'am, I am well. No, ma'am, I became dizzy, I am well. They are here." She shoved the phone at Usa.

Usa tried to move away from it, but she ran only into people and Lita shoved the receiver to her ear. "Hello, Grandmother." She dropped back on her rear with a pout. "I am fine. I am doing well in school this semester. Yes, ma'am. I will be accompanying mother to New York. Yes, ma'am. Grandmother, Samuel would like to say hello." She threw the phone at her brother; he caught it before it beamed him.

Sam shot her a murderous look; she made a face at him. While Sam spoke to their grandmother (actually their great-grandmother,) Usa settled back in the bed with a pout.

"I want some ice cream." She said sourly.

"Me, too." Rei pouted..

"We ran out last night." Lita reached for her purse. She fished around until she found her wallet. "Why don't you two run out and pick some up." She handed the wallet to Usa. "Dave, do you see my PDA over there?"

He held it up.

"And while you're at the store, could you two grab the stuff on that list."

Usa dropped her head on Rei's shoulder and groaned. "Fine. Frankie, give me Darien's car keys."

"What!" Sam cried out in horror.

"Darien let's you drive his car?" Drew was gaping at the keys Frankie passed over his head to the little girl on the bed.

Jiro was practically drooling. "Usa, baby…"

"Every time I turn around, someone is hitting on my girlfriend."

Usa turned to the door and her expression brightened. "Darien!" She held her arms out to him.

He made his way into the room, trying not to trip over the people in the floor. "You do know the Tsukinos have a living room, a den, and rec room. What's up, Kous?"

"Shields." Seiya nodded.

"Hey, sis." He said to Mina once he had reached the bed. Darien easily exacted his beloved from the over crowded bed. "Hey, you." He pressed a chaste kiss to her lips.

"Hey yourself." She cupped his face in her hands; a soft smile graced her lips.

"Miss me?"

"Of course." She hugged him. "We have to talk." She whispered.

"What's up?" He said against her ear.

"Help Rei out of the bed, I'll tell you on the way to the store." She pressed a kiss beside his ear before she let him go.

Darien sat her down on her feet, then he turned and reached for Rei.

Usa adjusted her pants and tank top. "Frankie, you're coming?"

He started to say no, he noticed the intent look in her eyes and he nodded. He stood up and followed her out the door. Darien and Rei came down soon after. Rei had Lita's PDA in her hands.

"You forgot this." She told Usagi.

"Oh, yeah." She said sourly. "I just wanted some ice cream."

"What's all this?" Darien took it and glanced down at list. "Chicken, curry powder, wild rice…"

"Shopping list." She rooted through the pile of shoes before the door until she found her sandals and Rei's. "Mom, we're going to store." She hollered.

"Usa," her mother popped her head out of the kitchen. "I ordered supper, but we're out of soft drinks and dessert."

"Colas and pies." Usa asked.

"Crème pies." Ilene told her.

"Will do."

"Oh, boys," She said to Darien and Frankie, "Will you be staying for supper?"

"Yes, ma'am." Darien told her. "We'll chip in of course."

"You better." Usa stuck her feet in her sandals. "You guys can put me to shame."

"Rei? You are still staying over?"

"If it is no problem…"

"Of course not. Ami will be coming over as well. Usa, you will be doubling up."

"That's alright. Daddy went to pick her up from her school?"

Ilene nodded. "Oh, one of Lita's sorority sister dropped your cat off."

"Okay, could you feed her, please?"

"I'll have Sam do it." Ilene turned back towards the kitchen.

"Alright, let's go." Darien took his keys from Usa and they herded out the front door.

Back in Lita's room, Jiro confirmed that Frankie did get in the car with Darien and the two girls.

"Is it just me or is something weird going on with them?" Dave asked the room.

"No, something is definitely up?" Sam rested his chin on Hotaru's shoulder. I've been able to excuse Darien and Usa's behavior. Dare's a genius and he a bit eccentric; And Usagi—Usa always doing something. She doesn't know how to stay still."

"What is it that you suspect Darien and Usagi to be hiding?" Mina asked him.

Sam shrugged. "I haven't a clue." He confessed. "But I just have this feeling…"

"Then say it." Mina snapped. "If you think my brother is in any danger—"

Sam cast about helplessly. To be honest, he hadn't a single clue of what was going on with Darien and his sister. But it was tied up in Usagi's new friends and somehow, Frankie was now apart of it.


	6. The Dark Kingdom: Chapter VI

**Six**

**1**

Usagi should have known this week was going to be a bad one. After what happened on Sunday and that disastrous meeting when Luna went after Lita, Usagi should have known to just stayed in her room for the week and let the thing pass. Lita did not like Luna and vice versa. Luna tried her standard authoritarian method with Usa's cousin. Lita really disliked the cat, but that just put her over the line to hate.

Monday was just as bad as Sunday. But it concerned Hotaru, Darien, and Mina. Usagi removed Darien from the equation but somehow Sam was dragged into it. (Sam had went out with Mina a couple times before he and Hotaru started dating. Mina claimed that Hotaru had stolen her boyfriend and she wanted him back.)

Tuesday, there was a battle. Usa and Ami were hurt, Frankie and Lita wanted to take them to the hospital, but the question of secret identities came up. Lita warned them this was the last time for that stupid little rule.

Wednesday, Josh and Jiro were at K O University Library when they had fight off a group of mutated creatures. The group and their enemy had a shock as Josh and Jiro joined the battle as two armored warriors and to their surprise, they were protecting Darien. Which led to another reason Usagi wanted to hole up her room for the rest of the week? The three male warriors did not have gaping holes in their memories like Luna and the Senshi. Ami had been right when she had told them that Frankie been evasive when they first questioned him about who it was his served. Frankie, Josh, and Jiro were three of the four Royal Terran Guardians who protected the Crown Prince of Terra (Earth)/the Golden Kingdom, Prince Endymion.

Usa guessed at the identity of their lord before the three revealed who their Prince was. It was the first time she had ever turned away from Darien. It was her worst fear come to life.

Thursday. A war was brewing within their ranks. Luna (that little instigator) was once again trying to cause trouble between the Senshi and the Terran Guards. That cat was adamant in her belief the girls did not need any help from outside sources. For once, Usagi had to give Luna her due. When that cat wanted something, she would not stop until she had it. But her stubbornness was not helping them.

Usa was still reeling from the after shocks of finding out the truth about Darien. You see, Darien had not only been the Prince of the entire planet in his past life, he was the lover the girls' Princess as well as her soul mate. Luna had managed to make Usagi feel guilty by insinuating that the girl had betrayed their princess and so forth. Darien stood by his original decision. He wanted Usagi and was going to stay with her. The question was placed before Usa. The conflicted girl was torn by her duty to the unknown, man stealing Princess and her love for Darien. Somehow it turned into a huge fight with Darien's Guards who put his feelings first and the Senshi and their oath to their Princess. Usagi left them to sort out their problems as she went home to sort out her own emotions.

Friday wasn't great either, but it was getting better. Darien was adamant. He refused to give up on her and he would not let her give up on them. Her friends, despite of had happened with the Generals (as the guys chose to call themselves,) they told her not to give up on her love.

Usa was showered by Darien's many displays of affection. Every hour that day, she received a bouquet of roses. Their special song was played on the two radio stations he owned and a heart felt declaration of his love and list of her many virtues appeared in his newspaper and both ran all day on a ticker of his cable news channels for all of Japan to see.

He called her that night and asked if she wanted to go to the movies on Saturday. Luna ordered her to say no, Lita tossed the cat outside, she closed her cousin's bedroom door after she encouraged Usa to say yes.

Luna snuck back in and admonished the girl for once again betraying their Princess. That cat told Usa that Darien did not have his full memories and could not be in love with Usagi. She went on to claim that once Darien had seen the Princess, his memories of his life as Prince Endymion would return to him and he would return to his true love, the Moon Princess.

Once she was sure she had suitable crushed Usagi's hopes of ever having a future with Darien; The obnoxious feline stretched out on the girl's bed for a peaceful night's rest. Before that, the evil creature had the audacity to wish Usa a good night.

Heart sick, Usagi ran for her room and into Lita's. Her cousin held her as the blonde child cried helplessly into her arms. Lita did not release her until Usa had fallen asleep. It broke Lita's heart to see her cousin suffering, but she could do nothing to end Usa's suffering. Everything hinged on the Moon Princess.

Saturday rolled around. Usagi had made her decision. She loved Darien; she loved him with all her heart and soul. She would love him for the rest of her life. She was also bound to the Princess by her oath and her destiny. Usagi knew she could not have both. Luna could have been right about Darien leaving her for the Princess one day. She would have lived with that. But there was also the other scenario. The one were Darien chose to stay with her and she breaks her oath to her Princess. Usagi knew she could not do that. Therefore she decided to end her relationship with Darien. Be first, she wanted one more day with him, while he still loved her. Only her. She would enjoy this last day with him.

It was Saturday afternoon, two hours since she had left school. She had been on her way to the arcade to meet Darien when she ran into Molly and Umino. They were on their way to the Fruit Parlor, since she was going in that direction, Usa opted to tag along with them. Umino had been the one who suggested they take a short cut through the blasted park and like a fool, she agreed.

What the heck had she been thinking?

She hadn't been thinking. That had been her problem.

Her mind was preoccupied by the pain of this decision so Usagi was forced to play helpless bystander in this little drama. She was running about and shrieking as each situation demanded since Molly refused to let go of her hand long enough for Usa to make her escape and transform.

The new freak in charge was a real madman who seemed to live by the motto 'more was best'. He had come with ten mutated pets and a lot of bad attitude.

Molly screamed in Usa's ear. The petite blonde shoved her friend aside as a mutated beetle with blades for arms swung two down at them. Usa rolled out of the way and kicked out at the creature's feet from beneath it.

"_Aro Ryo Tan San_!" Mars hurtled a charm at the creature's back.

The thing screamed in agony as the spell penetrated its armored shell. Usa pushed herself to her knees only to be kicked down. A booted foot was planted on her neck.

Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Kamen froze in place.

Zoycite held his sword over Usa's heart. "One more step, Sailor Senshi, and this innocent dies."

Usa grunted painfully as she tried to push the foot of her throat.

"Kill—him!" She gasped. "Kill…"

Zoycite applied more pressure, Usa squealed helplessly.

"Get off her!" Umino screamed at him.

"Help her!" Molly screamed in terror, her eyes pleading.

Usa pounded on the freak's leg, he laughed at her pitiful efforts as he taunted the four warriors. "Yes, please kill me and this child will die as well." His laughter became more manic. "Come on, you proud warriors of Silver Millennium, bound by your scared duty to protect all innocent lives…"

Kamen growled menacingly at the dark warrior. He could feel Usa's fear and panic, but he could also feel her rage. She did not care if she had to die, she did not want the freaks to win.

"Dar—" Usa choked out.

"You filthy little toad!" Bellowed the thoroughly enraged, katana welding Tuxedo Kamen. "Get. Off. Of. Her. NOW!"

Zoycite gawked at him incredulously then he laughed. "Little man, you have no idea—" his boast was cut off when Tux threw his katana at the effeminate little weasel's chest. Zoycite's reaction was swift, he managed to knock the blade away; however, and he lost his footing and stumbled back. Usa rolled out of the way. Zoycite summoned an energy ball and was about to launch it at the girl's unprotected back…

Out of the nowhere, a golden chain shot out and wrapped about Zoycite's extended arm and looped about his neck. Tuxedo Kamen leapt forward and grabbed Usa up and hid her in the protective folds of his cape. He directed his murderous eyes on the shrieking demon.

"You will pay for touching her." He ripped off his mask. Wanting the thing to see the face off the one who was going to end its pitiful existence. "V, rip his damn head off."

The person holding onto the other end gave a sharp tug on the chain. Darien raised his cape and covered Usa's face. Inside her shelter, Usa clutched at the front of Darien's jacket and buried her face in chest.

"No one will hurt you again, Bun." Darien let the cape fall aside and he cupped her face with his free hand. "I would never let anything happen to you. You know that right?"

"Darien!" She reached up and threw her arms around his neck. The moon Princess be damned. If she wanted Darien, the Princess was going to have to kill her; Usa was not going to give him up without a fight.

Zoycite disintegrated into a pile of dead meat. Behind them, Molly screamed. The Senshi and the Generals galvanized into action. Darien stood up, Bunny hurriedly pushed his mask to his face. Darien did his best to keep her face hidden as they fled the park. Jadeite and Nephrite had thrown their capes over Molly and Umino and the group, with their "hostages" fled the scene.

"Yo, Cape-boy." Jade called to his Prince. News helicopters and the cops were on their heels.

"Can this wait?" Kamen called over his shoulder.

"Darien," Usa moaned weakly as they went plunging over the side of ten-story building. "God, put me down so I can transform. All this—" he leapt over another building. "Heck, _Moon Prism_…"

"We lost them." Merc shouted.

"Everyone, break off." Jupiter told them. She could take over and issuing commands like a pro. "We meet back at the house in five minutes."

"What about these two?" Zoisite asked her.

"Bring them along." She said, "Kamen, don't drop your bundle."

"But what about the…" Mars started to say.

Kamen turned on his heel, he stood on the ledge of the building with Usa clinging to his arms. "Don't worry, miko, I will bring our guest along." With that he leapt off the side of the building and into an alley.

Usagi staggered out of his arms and into corner where she relieved her stomach while he de-transformed.

"That's attractive." He pulled out his cell phone and pulled up his contact list.

Usa sat back on her heels and drew in a deep breath. "Keep that up mister and I will kiss you." She closed her eyes as she raised her face to the sky. "Who are you calling?"

"Min." Darien said into phone. "Sis, where are you?" He reached out and brushed a strain of hair away from Usagi's face, his eyes were fixed on the bruise forming on her delicate neck and they hardened to sapphire bits. "We can meet you there." He told his sister, "No, she's not hurt. Good. See you in two minutes." He put his phone away.

Usagi opened her eyes and met his. "You want to tell me how you know Sailor V and why you've been keeping it a secret all this time?"

"You already know the answer to that." He held his right hand out to her. "We should go. Mina will be waiting."

She looked at proffered hand then at him. Usagi pushed herself to her feet and stepped past him. "How could you keep something like this from me, Darien?" She stepped out into the sunlight. Darien was right behind her.

"Buns, you know I wouldn't lie to you." He slipped his arm around her shoulders as he led her towards the intersection they were to meet Mina.

"Then what do you call this?" She demanded angrily.

"I call it family loyalty." He glanced into a shop window as they passed. There was a necklace in there that would have looked great on Usagi. He committed the store's name to memory. He would stop by tomorrow to pick it up.

She jabbed her elbow into his ribs, "You're not listening to me."

Darien winced, "God, woman. Why did you to hit me, I was thinking about buying you something."

"I don't want anything except answers, Shields."

"Don't call me that." He warned. Darien sighed. "Buns, I don't want you to think I did not trust you."

"Well you didn't." She shook his arm off only to have him put it back.

"I wanted to tell you. But I was swore to Min that I would keep her secret."

"Why you?" She stopped on the middle of the sidewalk and turned to him. "She should have come to one of us…"

Darien pulled her close and whispered into her right ear. "I because I was her sidekick." A car horn blew. He glanced over his shoulder, Mina had pulled to the curb and was blocking the pedestrian traffic.

"Hey, little brother. You two plan on staying in that spot all day or do have to get a ticket before you move?" She called to them.

"You were Ace?" she whispered back.

"Today, Dare." Mina shouted.

"Get off the crosswalk." Some guy shouted.

"Don't touch my car, moron." She made an obscene gesture.

Darien touched his brow to Usa's and groaned loudly.

"Darien!" Mina snapped.

"Let's go before your sister kills someone." She started to kiss him, but Darien drew back.

"God, woman, have you forgotten that you just puked." He made a face.

One minute later, they buckled in and speeding through downtown Tokyo. Usagi sat in the back seat with Mina's mound of shopping bags.

"Are you sure you're alright, Usagi?" Mina glanced the girl in her review mirror.

Usagi rubbed at her sore throat. "I'll be alright, Sailor V, but thank you for asking."

"It's Venus." Mina corrected. "We should get you checked out…"

"I'll be fine." Usa told her. "I just want to go home."

Mina glanced at Darien, he nodded, "Home it is." She said. "It's time I reestablished my command as leader of the Imperial Senshi."

It wasn't exactly the great meeting of the minds. Heck, it was just barely civil. Usagi sat on the floor beside the couch that Molly and Umino were on and all three were watching Luna and Mina go at it.

Mina was a tall Amazon blonde goddess with a quick mind and a sharp tongue. She was studying to be a lawyer, she wanted to a criminal prosecutor no less; Watching the way she tore into Luna was a glimpse at how good she was.

Ami returned to the family room, leading the four Terran warriors back. The guys had gotten bored and went to grab some takeout an hour ago. Usagi wished she could have gone with them, but Luna and her position demanded that she remain and at least put up a token fight for her title as leader. Now that she had done her part and surrendered her position gracefully—Okay, so she just told Mina it was hers, cat and all—Usagi wanted to do something else, even her homework. She did have a test coming up in trigonometry and the project for Japanese History. Hmm, she still hadn't decided on what period to do her report on.

She had just decided to do report on the Shogun Wars and focus on the Chiba's (yeah, Darien was old Japanese nobility. She found his British side to be just as interesting.) When all hell broke loose, literally.

The guys were coming back with Ami who was carrying a bottle of soda when Mina surged to her feet and Luna jumped back into a defensive crouch.

"Venus," Lita was moving between the two hoping to head off the physical confrontation. "This creature does not speak for us. (And if she had any sense at all, she wouldn't be speaking right now. Lita thought,) Sailor Moon has surrendered her unlawful position as Commander of the Senshi—"

"She has no right," Luna shrieked. "Sailor Moon is the leader of the Senshi. She was the first one _I_ found. How this upstart was allowed to come here and force you all to accept her I will never know nor allow." The cat turned her burning blue eyes on the girl sitting on the floor. "Why won't you defend your right?" She demanded of her. "You are their leader."

"If I honestly believed that, do you think I would just give it up, Luna?" Usagi proceeded to roll her eyes at the cat. "I am not the leader." She spoke firmly, but there was edge of impatience in her words as she forced herself into the futile confrontation. "If you're saying my being leader depends on being the first Senshi, then you are wrong again. Mina was the first Senshi."

"What?" Luna turned her harried gaze back to tall blonde. "That is preposterous. I never felt you or your aura."

"I have been fighting under the code name of Sailor V for the last four years." Mina pushed away from Lita to drop down uncerminoniously in an empty chair.

"I don't understand," Ami sat down on the floor beside Usagi with a Burger King bag. "Without a trigger from Luna, how were you able to morph?"

"Well, none of you guys used a trigger," Usagi said as she tore through the bag. "Both you and Rei transformed when I was in danger—Lita too." The bag was filled with fries and onion rings. She started to open her mouth to demand her food when Darien dropped two Whoppers in her lap. "I've hardly seen you guys use those pins—"

Rei and Ami exchanged a thoughtful look. It was apparent that they had never though about it either.

"It just seemed natural." Rei commented. She removed the pickles from her chicken sandwich and handed them to Usa. "I remember thinking that I had to protect you, Usagi-chan." She told them. "Jedite had me by the neck, threatening my life, but I did not care for myself. I knew I had to keep him from harming you."

Ami nodded. "I knew when I saw Usagi-chan being attacked by that foul _youkai_ that I had to do something to save—" She looked sharply at Usagi, the color drained from her face and before she knew it, Ami was on her feet.

"Ames…" the other girl said worriedly. But Ami was no longer looking at her.

The warrior of Ice and Water was looking at Mina now. The golden warrior of love nodded imperceptibly. Ami swallowed hard as she slowly dragged her eyes back to the blonde girl she called her best friend.

"Holy—"

Mina shook her head sharply; the warning in her blue-gray eyes was unmistakable as she gestured at the fuming cat. Ami nodded to show that she understood; Slowly, she sank back to the floor beside the puzzled and worried Usagi.

"Ami, are you alright?" Usagi asked her voice mirrored her concern as she checked the other girl's brow for a fever.

Ami nodded once, she happened to meet Rei's gaze and was not surprised to see the shock and bewilderment on the young miko's face as well. Still. Usagi's cousin, did her…

"Well, your mission remains the same, Sailor Venus." Luna sneered. "You must find the Moon Princess and the Silver—"

"I have already located the Princess." Mina glared at the cat. "And both she and her crystal are safe."

That caught Usagi's attention. The girl mouth moved silently as she tried to ask the one question that could have killed her. Thankfully, Luna was there to do the talking for her. You had to love that cat.

"What!" she exclaimed. "You know of the Princess' location?" Mina nodded. The cat pounced over into her lap and stood up pressing her paws against Mina's chest as she demanded. "Where is she?"

"Under my protection." Was all the woman told her.

Usagi looked at her friends curiously, trying to gauge their reactions, only to find none. God, was she missing something here? By giving up her position as leader did that mean she gave up the right to have this information? Yesterday they were all clamoring for information to the find this gold digging tramp and her rock but now they looked as if they could careless. She directed her attention to her boyfriend and noted that he didn't seem interested as well—which was good for him, because he wouldn't have heard the end of it from her if he had—But hold the freaking phone! This was not good, not good at all, for him! That lousy, two-bit lying…

"Sonofabitch!" Usagi was on her feet and on Darien before any of them knew what was happening. She pounding on his back with one hand and the other was yanking at his hair all the while she was yelling at him. "You knew where that tramp was!" she yelled at him, "You knew where she was. You know who that bitch is. Damnit, I am going to fucking kill you, Darien. I'm going to kill her, then I'm coming back and gonna kick your ass! You cheating, low-life, scummy, motherfu—"

Darien was not lying there taking the abuse without a fight. Okay, so he wasn't hitting his girlfriend back or anything. He was trying to get to his sister so she could rescue him from the suddenly crazed bunny. Lita and Jiro extracted the enraged girl from his back and Darien scurried away from her once her weight was removed from him. But he did not get away from her without Usa getting in a final kick.

He collapsed beside Mina's chair and after a moment he regained his composure, Darien felt brave enough to face his girlfriend's wraith.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" He shouted at her.

Usagi's arms were being pinned behind her back by Jiro and Lita kept her hand over her cousin's mouth. She dropped that hand and ewwed when her cousin spat in her palm. Usagi's eyes were flashing as she glared daggers at him.

"How the hell could you do this to me, Darien." She countered, also yelling.

Now he was confused again. "What did I do?"

The look in her eyes promised a more thorough thrashing, "You know where that gold digging tramp is." She ground out. "Well too freaking bad, nerd-boy. That trick ain't getting her claws into you. You belong to me; and I don't care if she's the fricking Princess of the goddamned Sun and God has proclaimed her the Messiah. If she so much as looks at you, let alone touches you in any freaking way, I'm going to rip her hair out of her skull and strangle her with it." She looked at Mina, the older girl's was staring at her in surprised horror. "I don't care if the cow is your princess. I never wanted be a Senshi in the first place and can't be one because when see I the Princess, I'm gonna hafta beat heifer down for trying to take my man."

Mina smirked, "Well, have fun. I always say defend what is yours, right, Dare?"

"Shut up, sis." He growled. His face was a red as Usagi's but for a totally different reason.

She laughed, "Aww is the little baby feeling bad because his girl beat him up." Mina asked sarcastically

He ignored her and went to rescue his girlfriend. Jiro let the fuming girl go and Darien pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I promise you that no one will take me away from you." He smiled to himself when she wrapped her arms about his chest and returned his hug. "But you do know, I reserve the right to beat the hell out of any guy who looks at you twice."

"Go ahead." She snuggled. "I only have eyes for you."

"You two are sickening." Lita said as she started to leave the room to wash her hands.

"Okay, with that covered…" Mina said.

"What?" Luna was once again fuming. "You're going to let that girl get away with threatening our Princess? Venus, are you mad?"

Mina cast a hooded glance in the direction of her brother and his girlfriend. "I don't interfere with true love." She speared the cat into place with a cold glare. "And neither should you. It's the reason we're all here today."

**2**

"No!" Usagi horrified screams echoed throughout downtown Juuban. She clutched the fallen Darien to her heart as she begged him to wake up. "Darien, please get up. Please. You promised you would never leave me. Darien…"

An enraged Sailor Venus had tore through the floating shield the Dark Kingdom warrior had surrounded himself with. Rage and grief made her stronger, the emotions fueled her power, making a pitiful mockery of the magic the Dark Kingdom's dog attempt to evade her wraith.

"You will die," Venus bit off each word as she ripped into the shield.

The Sailor Senshi stood protectively around the small blond girl and the fallen terran Prince. Their hearts breaking with each of Usagi's pitiful cries. They fought off the creatures that tried to get to pair while the Generals under David's command, fought a larger threat.

David, or Kunzite, had joined Venus on her assault of the demon that had struck down her brother.

This latest attack had happened so fast that they had been unprepared for it. Mina had invited all of Darien's housemates and the girls and their friends out to dinner. After eating, they all decided to go see a movie and were on their way to the closest movie theater when the first wave of attacks happened.

Sam had grabbed Usagi and Hotaru and tried to run but their way was cut off by a gas main exploding when a group of creatures tore through the streets. People were screaming, cars where being thrown about. Mina immediately took charge. She ordered the Senshi to transform. Hotaru screamed and Usagi started yelling for Darien.

Mina turned around and saw her brother lying face down on the street, with a platinum haired villain standing over him. In his hand was a sword with blood running down its blade.

Mina stood, transfixed as her eyes stared unbelieving at Darien's unmoving form. A silver blur shot past her and then Usagi was attacking the fiend, bare handed and fueled only by her desperate despair to protect the one she loved.

The villain raised his sword, ready to end the girl's life but he tackled to the ground by a fully armored David. The beast managed to shove Dave aside and which he quickly wrapped himself in a magical shield that neither Dave nor the other Generals could get through.

"_Venus Power_!" The golden Amazon roared angrily.

Lita, Ami, and Rei joined their voices with their leader's angry cry for blood and vengeance.

Usagi was already out of her mind with grief. She had crawled over to Darien, ignoring the battle that surrounded them as she carefully pulled his upper body into her lap. His blood stained the front and back of his shirt, the sword had gone completely through his body, piercing his heart. The blow had been fatal, death had come instantly for the young man, claiming Darien's life before he even hit the ground.

As the battle raged on, Usagi's cries had stopped, only to be replaced with promises. They were going to be together again, she would whisper. He just had to wait, she was coming to him.

An odd peace had settled over her as Usagi looked around blankly for something that would help her reunite with her love.

"Where is your sword, when I want it, Endymion?" She whispered brokenly. Her voice was no more than a detached whisper on the battlefield but it was heard by the four warrior women.

"No," Hotaru was staring at the little girl in a mixture of horror and disbelief. "Princess, you cannot. It is not your time! _Princess!_" She tore out of Sam protective embrace.

At the same time, Usagi's distracted gaze fell on the fallen sword of their enemy.

"_Serenity_!" Hotaru shouted as the girl reached for the blood soaked blade.

"Endymion…"

Hotaru's cry caused the three warriors to turn to girl on the ground.

"_Death_," Hotaru threw her right arm out, "_Reborn_…" The sky darkened as magic wrapped about her as hands closed around the long metal shaft of her glaive. "_Revolution_!"

_Time in reverse…_

_Memories engraved in the past…_

_Our tragic past…_

"This will not happen again!" Venus shouted as she tore the magical shell. "Terra and the Moon will be avenged! Our Queen did not die in vain!" The last shreds of spell disintegrated beneath her hands. A bright, deadly light tore violently from her body as she roared. "_Love and Beauty Shock_."

"Wait for me." Usagi held the sword over her heart and time seemed to stop.

_Time in reverse…_

**3**

_Endymion, please don't leave me!_

_It's all over now. I feel strengthened._

…_A warm touch…_

_I feel myself getting better._

_That touch…_

_I know it—from a long time ago…_

_Slowly, Darien opened his eyes and looked about as much as he could from his prone position._

_Endymion…_

_"Endymion, look!"_

_He turned around and smiled tenderly at the girl who was lean against the stone wall pointing up at the light colored sky._

_He did not have to raise his eyes to the sky to see what held her excited attention._

_She lowered hand to her heart as she gazed upon the alabaster moon that was her home. He watched as curiosity and sadness mingled in the pearl gray depths of her eyes._

_"We are so small," her sweet, childlike voice was almost a whisper on the wind. "My home looks so cold and empty from here."_

_He reached and brushed the back of his hand over her lily cheek, her eyes drifted to his and a faint blush graced her delicate features._

_"How does our planet look from the Moon?"_

_She looked away, but she did not leave his touch. "It is beautiful." She whispered, "It looks like a beautiful blue crystal ball."_

* * *

_

* * *

"I will not stand for this," He said gravely, his dark eyes speared the one who dared to insight his wraith . "There will be no war with the Moon."_

_"They spy upon us, my Prince." A redheaded woman cried desperately. "Your people are tired of submitting to their rule."_

_"These are baseless falsehoods." Zoisite said, rebuking the woman's statement. He turned to Endymion. "We have just come to realize that there is life on the Moon and the other planets…"_

_"They seek to deceive us with sweet words and overtures." She shouted the guardian down. She turned her feverish eyes back to the Prince. Her frustration was evident in voice as she tried to covert him to her reasoning. "They seek to take over Terra, my Lord. How can you stand by and allow this…"_

_"Our Queen says different." Kunzite interjected. "Queen Gaia has received the Moon Queen's representatives."_

_"The purpose of this meeting was to decide who we would send to the Moon as our ambassador." Endymion said. "My mother had though you would be well suited for the position, Lady Beryl." He saw the surprise in her yellowish green eyes and contrite. "I will inform her Majesty we must continue our evaluation of the other candidates. Thank you for your time."_

_The expression in her eyes as she looked at him was desperate and mixed with lust. Endymion could not wait for her to be gone fast enough._

_Once the door had closed behind her, Endymion allowed himself to release the tension he felt every time Beryl came around. _

_"That one is dangerous, my Prince." Kunzite turned to him. _

_His loyal guard only echoed what the Prince felt. _

"_She aspires for the Queen's throne." Jadeite said._

"_My people have reported that she is consorting with the Darkness." Nephrite put in. "We should eliminate her as soon as possible, your Highness."_

"_We will need irrefutable proof of her treason." Endymion stood up from the table and began to pace. "My mother believes in the inherit goodness of all people. She will not allow me to do away with one of her favorites just on unfounded suspicions."_

"_Then we should go to your uncles." Kunzite suggested. "I have the greatest respect for our Queen, yet I fear that we are facing the danger that grows impatient by hour. Lord Odin or Prince Dyaush Pita could convince her to change her position." He met Endymion's stony gaze. "We must act, your Highness. We will have to act soon or it will be too late."_

"_I could appeal to all my relatives; Khepera, Zeus, Ohkuninushi, it would not matter." He glanced out of the window; his gaze was drawn to the pale moon as it flitted about the afternoon sky. "My mother will want proof, witnesses or she will have doubts and would second guess herself in every decision afterwards. I will not have her ever doubt herself in anything."_

_His guards looked as if they wanted to protest; yet they knew it would be futile. With his decision made, Endymion would be hard pressed to change his mind. His friends prayed that their Prince knew what he was doing._

* * *

"_Endymion!" It was the last thing he heard his beloved say._

_Beryl had done the unthinkable. She had sold her soul to the Darkness and declared war on Terra and the Moon. _

_Endymion had fought hard and valiantly with his fellows at his side and watched as his mother made the ultimate sacrifice for him and their planet. _

_He called out to her, desperately even as her magic wrapped about him and transported him and his friends to the Moon. He did not recall much of had happened from the moment they arrived in the Lunar Palace. He just remembered her, his angel. Serenity had come to him immediately. Her delicate arms going around him, holding his as the grief of his mother's loss washed over him._

_The planning had begun almost immediately._

_The Silver Alliance went into action, armed forces were mobilized, but it was all too late._

_Beryl and her horde of demons fell on the pristine lunar palace like a plague of locus within hours. The younger Senshi were overwhelmed, the Lunarian guard fell like fresh mowed wheat at Beryl's advance. Endymion watched his friends fall one by one then all of sudden Beryl appeared before him. The blood of his dearest companions was still dripping from her clothes and the blade of her stone sword as she commanded him, Endymion, the High Prince of Terra to lay down his sword and stand at her side as her consort. _

_He could not get his mind around it._

_Beryl was standing in front of him covered in his loved ones' blood. On her head sat his mother's crown--his crown--the state crown of Terra. Of all the atrocities that psychotic witch had done...She dared to stand before him and offer him a place at her side._

"_I would die than live with you," he spat._

_She went into a rage then. Her sickly yellow eyes fell on the beautiful alien princess who had just run out to find him. _

_Serenity drew back, away from the terrible creature with the human face._

_Beryl's jealousy had found a target to lash out upon. Before the little Princess could turn to runaway, the darkness fell on her. Endymion reacted quickly, running as fast as he could, Endymion threw himself in between the dark sorceress and the love of his life._

_He hit the ground in a clattering heap, with Serenity clutched tightly in his arms. They rolled a few times before coming to a stop._

"_Endymion," he felt her soft little hands on his face._

"_Se--ren----ity…" he rasped. He collapsed on her and he heard her scream._

_There was a large, gaping wound in his chest; his lifeblood came pouring out in great torrents. She clung to him, pressing the gauzy material of her skirts to his chest trying to stop the blood flow, but her pathetic attempts were useless, for the blood continued to flow. _

"_No, no," she moaned helplessly. She pressed at hundred butterfly kisses to his paling face. "Do not leave me," she said on a broken sob. "Please, my love, stay with me…I love you." She buried her face in his neck; her crystalline tears fell gently on his rapidly cooling skin._

Serenity… 

_He wanted to say her name, to tell her how much she meant to him, yet only blood came from his mouth._

"_I love you." She looked down into to his eyes; a sad little smile graced her lovely face as she brushed strains of his hair from his brow. "I'll love you forever." She bent down and dusted an aching kiss over his stained lips. "Wait for me."_

_Before his dying eyes, Endymion watched his angel drive his sword into her own chest. A little cry was all she made as the blade pierced her heart._

"_Endymion." It was the last thing he heard his beloved say before they both were swept away in Death's cold embrace._

"This has happened before," Usagi looked down at Darien's pale face. "Long ago you died to protect me for I was not strong enough to save you. This time a coward stole your life without giving you a chance to defend yourself." A tear slipped down her face as the sword fell from her trembling hands. "My love, we were not reborn to lose each like this! Please, Endymion, hear my voice. Do not leave me here like this. We have so much to live for. We've found each other again… Endymion, please don't leave me! You swore you would never leave me again. _Endymion_!"

_Time in reverse…_

_Memories engraved in the past…_

He had found her again….

Time in reverse… 

He would not die like this. Not when he had so much to live for…

_Memories engraved in the past…_

…No. There were more than memories of a secret love affair. Their love was real, true, and worth fighting for. _She_ was worth fighting for.

_Time in reverse…_

Life continued as would he with Serenity—Usagi at his side. He just had to reach for it and it would all be his once more.

The power that was his birthright.

The world that surged beneath his lax body heaved and breathed for him. The magma that ran through Terra's core pushed through his veins forcing his blood to move and flow. Water and wind attacked his wounds, repairing the damage done to bone and muscles. And the Sun, his father's light, nurtured and restored his body and his soul.

The battle was over. Venus had ripped the Dark Kingdom warrior apart, literally with her bare hands.

Jadeite and Mars had subdued the fires while Mercury and Jupiter handled burst water mains and the underground electrical equipment.

Venus and the other Generals had destroyed the mutated creatures. All were doing what they could to ignore the pain and grief that threatened to overwhelm them.

Sometime during the fighting, Sam had cautiously approached his little sister. He had grabbed up the sword that had fallen from her hand. Simultaneously, the youth felt awkward and useless. All around him his friends were fighting. Even his cousin and his girlfriend had joined in, yet what had failed to sink in was that they were using magic. Not just magic, archaic weapons, and each were performing amazing feats of physical strength.

Andrew was kneeling beside him, his hands were flying over Darien's still body.

"Usagi," the sandy-haired youth said sharply, "you have to work with me. Hold this against the wound in his chest." He had stripped off his shirt and put it under Darien's back and was using his tee-shirt for Darien's chest wound."

Numbly, Usagi followed his direction. Andrew started CPR.

"You're going to be fine," Sam heard his sister quietly promise to boy on the ground. He looked down at her, blood covered her pale hair, limbs, and stuck to her clothes. There was so much blood on her and around Darien's body, Sam doubted if there was anything left in his young friend's body to keep him alive.

"Remember how last week we talking about how many children we wanted to have?" She brushed her finger tips over Darien's cheeks, "Okay, you win. We will have six, just like you want. Five little boys, all named Endymion and one little girl named Bunny with my hair and your eyes. But you will have to wake up first. Please, sweetie. Open your eyes…I've already bought your birthday present. I sent out the invitations and people are have already started to RSVP…If you don't wake up, I'm going to go on a date with—"

"We got a pulse!" Andrew cried happily. He turned around a just as EMTs picked their way through the rubble. "Hey, over here. Hey!"

As the paramedics made their over to them, a racking, slugging cough shook Darien's body. And to the surprise of his friends, Darien rolled on to his side and he began to retch up the blood that had been in his lungs. Usagi had never seen a more beautiful sight or heard a more wondrous sound. She gently held Darien's head, encouraging him to get all the clotted blood out of his body.

Andrew came out of state his of shock, grabbed up one of Darien's wrists, and felt his pulse again. It was steady and becoming stronger with each heart beat.

"I can't believe it." Drew gasped at the pair in awe. "How…?"

"Bun—" Darien tried to say, but it came out like a weak gasp.

She dropped a kiss on his brow, "Don't talk, sweetie." She wanted to laugh or sing she was so happy. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

"Where—Kun—Dave…?"

"David." Usagi turned her urgent gaze on her brother, "Where's Dave? Call Dave. He can help Darien." She looked back down at him, "Oh, if I only knew how to summon your armor."

"His armor?" Andrew asked skeptically.

Darien saw the paramedics coming towards him, the same moment, Kunzite appeared at Usagi's side.

"Endymion?" he asked worriedly.

"Stand back." The medics dropped down and began to exam Darien.

Sam slipped his arm around his sister's shoulders and pulled her back as Darien was lifted onto a stretcher.

"We're taking him to Tokyo General," one of the paramedics informed them. "If he has family…"

"I'm his fiancée," Usagi told them. "Please, I need to be with him."

When he would have agreed, his partner shook his head. "We've doubled up." He explained. "There are a lot of injured people out here…"

"But I—" Usa reached for Darien.

"He'll be alright." The kind one assured her. He placed a diamond shaped topaz crystal in to her out stretched hand. "Here, why don't you hold on to this for your boyfriend. From the way he was holding onto it, it must be very important to him."

Usagi's eyes drifted down to the stone in resting in hands. It was hot to the touch and despite its size, it was very heavy in her small hands.

"Usa, let's get you to the hospital." Sam was saying. He cast a distrustful look in Dave's direction.

She raised her eyes to meet her brother's concerned ones. Something seemed to dawn on her, for she turned around quickly and for the first time saw the damage that had been caused by the Dark Kingdom's latest attack. Her pale eyes went wide at the sight.

"Princess Serenity," David inquired politely, his voice mirrored his concern.

Usagi flinched noticeable at use of her long forgotten name and title. She turned to David, no Kunzite, and the last veils of Time and Death faded from her mind and soul…

With a heart wrenching cry, the long lost Princess of the Moon threw herself into the arms of one her beloved's most trusted guards and companions.

A shuddering sob escaped her as the memories of her short and tragic past flooded her mind.

David looked helplessly at the Sam and Drew while the girl cried on his armored chest.

_Time in reverse…_

_Memories engraved in the past…_

_Our tragic past…_


	7. The Dark Kingdom: Chapter VII

**Seven**

**1**

Almost a week after the incident that almost claimed Darien's life and destroyed half of downtown Juuban, Usagi had tried to assimilate and process all the information that was pouring in from her own memories of her past life as Princess Serenity of the White Moon.

After Darien was released from the hospital, the entire group sat down with their closest friends and family members to talk this out.

There was a lot of anger at first, most of it coming from Sam who couldn't understand why his little sister, his cousin, and his girlfriend were Senshi. Hotaru, as the Goddess of Death related the sad history of the Silver Millennium. Hearing of their daughter's suicide had shocked the Tsukinos. Darien didn't take it well either. His final moments of life had been of those watching the woman he loved using his sword to murder herself. The brilliant kingdom had died with its Queen, a powerful sorceress and Senshi, who sacrificed her life so that her daughter and her friends would live again.

When asked if there was life still on the moon or the other planets, Hotaru told them that the time was not right for that information to be revealed. The Universe, like they were, was awaiting the return of its Queen. Only at her accession would it reveal itself.

And just like that, Usagi's world was yanked from beneath her feet.

All this talk about finding the Princess now took on a different meaning. Usagi was not just the Princess of tiny floating white moon, she was the heir—no, the ruler of a freaking star system.

But who would want her as their ruler? She had killed herself. She had chosen to follow Endymion into death rather face her life and duties without him. She had put the Moon and the Solar System second, her own life had meaningless compared to loosing him and not being with him.

Was she so weak? Didn't her kingdom or her people matter? Oh, Goddess, she was horrid person.

Darien watched helplessly as Usagi pulled away from him and everyone else. He knew what she was doing and he knew no matter what he either said or would do, Usa would still blame herself.

She had died to be with him, it was not something he would have recommended, yet unlike herself, Darien was willing to give Usa the benefit of the doubt. She was in a state of shock and had acted without thinking. He had done the same thing to protect her. But Usa wouldn't be so generous to herself.

She was infuriating, Darien declared when returned from another failed attempt to see his ladylove. Why couldn't she accept that she hadn't done anything wrong?

Josh had the misfortune of being home when Darien returned from the Tsukinos in a foul mood for the fourth time that week. Josh knew he should have gone out with his roommates, but _no_, he had to stay home and study. Idiot that he was, Josh didn't think to lock, much less, close his bedroom door.

Darien was in rare fit of temper while he complained about Usa's feeling guilty for committing suicide in the past.

Darien was still going when his cell phone rang. Darien of course chose to ignore it. He knew it wasn't Usagi because she wasn't talking to anyone. Hell, she hadn't been to school all week. But if it was Mina, he really didn't want to talk to. His sister was yelling at him for not being with Usagi when she needed him. Darien's defense was short of breaking in and kidnapping her, Usagi would not see him.

Josh grabbed the phone on the second ring and answered it.

"Hello?" A soft, whispery voice asked on the other end. "Darien?"

Josh blinked. "No, this is his roommate." He said, confused. "You want to leave a message?" If Darien was cheating on Usa the Senshi and Sam were going to have his head. But Josh would have won the house other bet.

The girl hesitated, "Is he there?" She asked somewhat impatiently. "This is really important."

Josh was ready to tell her to go to hell, but something in her voice made him say, "No, he's kind of busy." This was true, since he stormed out Josh's room and was now beating the hell out of a wall. "Maybe I can—"

The girl sighed. "Could you tell him it's Ami." She told him. "And that I am lost in downtown Tokyo and I need ride. I tried to telephone Lita, but I got her voicemail. Mina's not answering her phone and Rei doesn't drive and Hotaru is Kyoto. Short of calling Frankie, I would hitchhike back to Juuban."

"Why not take the train?" Josh suggested. He shoved his feet into his running shoes and was looking around for his car keys.

"I can't," Ami told him. "I came here with my anatomy class and I brought enough money for lunch. I didn't think the immature idiots would actually leave me while I was in the restroom." She blew out a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be unburdening myself on you like this…"

"Hey, we're all friends now, right, Mercury?" Josh smiled as he connected the sweet little dark haired girl's face with her name.

"I'm sorry, but who are you—" Josh could practically feel her blush on the other line. "Oh, Usa is my best friend yet she is a horrible influence."

"She has everyone in the house convinced we are all snitches." He stopped by Darien's room and found the boy draped over his bed staring at photograph of Usagi. "Yo, Cover-boy, Ami got left in Tokyo and needs a ride. I'm going to pick her up, man."

"Take my car," Darien pointed to his keys on this desk. "It has GPS."

Josh nodded, "Thanks man." He said to Ami. "Are you on cell phone?"

"No, I am on a pay phone."

He swore, "Alright, where are you?"

Forty-five minutes later, Josh parked Darien's car in front of a Western Style coffee house in an upscale neighborhood in Tokyo.

He got out and hurried up to the front door. It was one of Darien's little side ventures that was doing rather well in the in the fashionable location. Ami sat in a corner booth munching on a sandwich and with a bottle of cream soda compliments of the owner.

Josh thought she looked cute in her Infinity College uniform. With her glasses on, she was studious and seemed aloof. Without them, Ami was just your average Japanese school but with a pretty face and shy blue eyes. Josh had a weakness for girls with dark hair and blue eyes.

Unfortunately, so did his housemate Eiji Kaiou, the rat.

The rules of their house stated who calls it first gets it. And Eiji, that punk, had called Ami Mizuno. Now Josh had to settle with just being friends with the pretty genius until his roommate (not friend, that jerk would never be his friend again.) got bored or she just flat out turned him down.

Josh put on his best I'm-not-out-to-hook-up smile as he walked over to the booth and dropped down on the bench opposite of the dark haired girl. He signaled a waiter as he glanced at Ami's blushing face.

"Sorry it took so long." He said, "But you're okay, right?"

Ami nodded as she raised her right hand to the mouth. Such dainty gestures. She was adorable.

After she swallowed Ami asked, "Is Darien alright? Usa-chan refuses to see anyone and I am worried for both of them."

"Darien's fine." He assured her, "He's upset, more with himself than anything else. But he's getting through it."

"It seems as if that is all we are doing." She flashed him a self deprecating smile. "It's not everyday you learn you are the ruler of planet or in Usa-chan's case, the ruler of the entire solar system."

Yeah, Josh had forgotten about that. The girl sitting across from him sipping her soda was not just a warrior and companion of the Princess of the Moon. Ami and the other girls were Princesses in their own rights and of their own worlds. Man, he was sitting at the table with a queen; the freaking Queen of Mercury and all he could think about was snagging her pickle.

Ami pushed away the rest of her sandwich and sighed. "I just wish she would talk to one of us." She told him. "I want to know that she's alright."

Josh could sympathize. "It's rough not knowing what's going on with those who lives you are entrusted to protect and care for."

"It's completely different from how we lived on the Moon." She told him, "Do you ever feel like you are living in a dream and that at any second you will wake up and you will be back in your rooms in your palace?"

He nodded, a sheepish blush staining his cheeks. "Before we all, you know—died, I a twenty-five year old man, chief strategist in Endymion's army and leader of my own forces in the Northern Territories. I know more about this world than my professors and it bothers me that I can't do half of the things I know I am capable of because no one believes in magic anymore."

"Ah, you are so lucky." She told him. His expression was skeptical until Ami waved her right hand before face, she stifled a giggle as Josh jumped back, his pale green eyes were large as saucers as he gawked at her altered features.

"I frightened my mother three days ago when I forgot to replace my glamour."

"Glamour?"

Her features shifted and the alien ice princess was replaced by the sweet faced, dark haired girl Josh was familiar with.

"Ice blue skin does not sit well with most people." She joked.

"God," Josh managed once he got over his surprise. Then he laughed, "Wow. You look like a—I mean, that was really cool, and you…"

"You should see Rei without her glamour. She a goddess of flames from the tips of her hair to her feet."

"You mean she's red all over? Like a lobster?"

"No," Ami laughed. "I meant figuratively, except for her hair. Her hair is red now and her eyes. It's just broke her heart."

"It's going to kill Frankie." Josh let out a hoot. "The Menace swears he's in love with your priestess friend."

"Oh, dear, I guess I feel sorry for him."

"I feel sorry for Rei. Frank has been known to very persistent when he decides he wants something."

"I doubt he will have much success with Rei."

"I wouldn't count the Menace out," Josh said grinning. He knew where this conversation was going, now he just had to maneuver the conversation towards his…

"Why do you all call Frankie "The Menace"?" Ami asked out of the blue.

"It should be the horror, but Drew talked us out of that. He said it would hurt Frank's feelings."

"And the Menace does not?"

Josh shook his head no. "Frankie's our boy, he knows we are not calling him that to be insulting. He also knows, like everyone else in the house, that we all have his back if some punk ass loser tries to start with him." He laughed sheepishly, "We have been close to getting kicked out more than a few times because of the fights we got in on each others' behalf. But we're like brothers, you know, a carry over from our past life. Even Sam, Drew, and that punk Eiji, we're all together."

"Fraternity, brotherhood, sisterhood." Ami pushed the rest of her uneaten sandwich away as she reached for her soda. "We are all bound to our allies by these ideas, we all have the same goals."

"Yeah." Josh picked up her pickle and took a big bite. "Between you and me, Merc, there's going to be serious problem between our two leaders."

Ami looked at him in surprise. "Usa-chan and Darien?" she cried in disbelief.

"I'm talking about Mina and Dave." His eyes were grave as he met hers. "If those two don't come to terms soon about Dare, he's going to find out and they might force him to make some choices Darien isn't ready to make."

"What kind of choices?"

"The kind that could hurt everyone in the long run."

**2**

From below her bedroom window, Usagi could hear Lita and her friends laughing and goofing around in the front yard. The smell of grilled duck and tuna made her mouth water and caused her empty stomach to clinch, but Usa did not move from her spot beside her window.

She pulled her laptop closer and checked her e-mails. Mina had footed the bill for the band that was playing at Darien's party; it was one of Darien's favorites groups. Mina offered to chip in for everything else; Usa emailed her back, thanking her for the getting Linkin Park to come, but she had everything covered. Lita was catering the party, she wanted to use this as a lunching pad for her own business, and Usa was glad to let her do it, but it cost her a pretty penny to cover the food and pay Lita's friends who would be the servers. Moreover, the food bill just went up as some Greek heiress Mina knew decided she wanted to attend.

Usa was starting to feel the pressure to make this a memorable as well spectacular social event. Goddess, this was becoming something almost bigger than herself. Damn it, why did she have to be in love with the freaking Chiba heir? Why couldn't she have fallen for some nice, normal guy whose family and personal life wasn't fodder for the tabloids and the masses?

Usa added the new name to list and compared it to the master list. Everyone she had invited had responded and was going to be there for the big event. That added to the twenty five people Mina just added, plus the servers, the band, and security, (nope, she couldn't forget those guys or Frankie who was providing them), the Crown was going to be at full capacity and her baby was going to have the best birthday party of his life.

Now, if she could just stop feeling sorry for herself long enough to see her precious boy friend, Usa felt that she would be complete until next month.

Reaching up, Usa brushed her long hair over shoulders and frowned.

"Usa!" Lita called from below. "I know you're hungry. Come down and have a bite with us."

She was hungry, but when she looked down, Usa groaned at the rivers of pristine white hair that trailed across her bedroom floor. The stuff stretched from bed to where she sat near her window seat. As if that wasn't bad enough, after two days of effort, Usa had just managed to leave her bed and walk about her bedroom by herself without falling down. She didn't want anyone outside her immediate family to know about what she was going through.

It was the day after she regained her memories; Usa awoke before dawn, feeling like she was suffocating. Lita felt her distress came to her rescue and shock and horror of her parents, Usa had white hair, and her crescent moon insignia was shining brightly on her brow.

Days past, both Usa's and Lita's features changed to mirror their former lives. Usa had a good laugh when Lita came screaming down stairs with rose coloured hair. Lita could handle the increased height and added strength, but the pink hair was something else all together.

She watched as Lita dyed her hair twice, morphed and un-morphed, just to make sure didn't have pink hair.

Usa thought of doing it for herself, being Lunarian seemed to have bleached the colour right out of her, but with over six feet of hair, Usa didn't want to deal with the mess or the hassle. She didn't want to deal with much of anything now, including her own thoughts. Usagi pushed her computer away and dropped back on her pillows. She missed Darien.

"Princess."

She closed her eyes and ignored the cat.

Luna jumped down from her perch outside Usagi's window to the plush window seat, leaping down to land noiselessly between Usagi and the girl's computer.

"Luna."

"Yes, your Highness?" The cat said eagerly, ready to of service to her mistress.

"Get off my hair."

As Luna leapt back, Usa sat up. She bunched her legs beneath her and rose. Her body was top heavy, with all that extra hair and her body filling out to what it once was in the past. Usa felt ungainly and overbalanced as she made the short walk from the window to her bed.

"Your Highness?" Luna tried again.

"I am tired, Luna." Usagi reached for favorite sleeping shirt, one of Darien's old KO U tee shirts, and then she started to undress.

"We need to talk about the crystal…"

"There is nothing to discuss." Usagi looked back at the cat over her shoulder, her pale eyes were cold and forbidding. "I have far more weightier issues that require my attention other than my crystal." She snapped coolly. Mentally, Usa frowned as she caught the strange inflection in her voice and lack of contractions. "Now leave, Luna. I am yet to forgive you for your malicious behavior towards me and Endymion." She turned her back on the cat and stripped off the rest of her clothes and kicked everything aside. She pulled on her sleeping shirt and then climbed into bed.

She would be a good queen. High above her home, the moon hovered over it's ruler, watching her and blessing her.

**3**

"Usagi?" Molly cry could be heard from across the school's courtyard.

Usagi turned around just in time to be caught up in her best friend's crushing embrace. "Oh, honey, you scared the wits from me." Usa panted as she returned Molly's embrace. She pulled back and reached down for her bag that she dropped.

Molly took in her friend's appearance in a quick glance, her eyes lingered on the headscarf Usagi had tied over her hair. and speaking of Usagi's hair.

"Did you get a hair cut or something?" Molly asked.

Usagi shook her head. "No, but I have to go. Darien's party is next week and I haven't even talked to Andrew's parents about the band, security, and them giving up a full day's revenue just so my love can have the best day of his life." She turned to Molly. "You wanna walk with me?"

"How are you feeling?" Molly asked as they left the campus.

"Like I am the world's greatest idiot for not coming to school all week."

"No, I mean—"

"I know what you mean and I'm not ready to talk about it with anyone." To soften the harshness of her tone, Usagi reached for Molly's right hand and linked their fingers. "I have so much on my plate right now and I want to do is be with my baby."

"You haven't seen him all week."

"I haven't seen anyone all week other than my family." She laughed softly. "My parents don't know left the house."

"Why were you stay in your house all week? And I'm not asking about—"

"I was falling over."

"Huh?" Molly asked confused.

Usa laughed softly. "Terran gravity. I had to get used to it--again."

"But you were born here." Molly was still having trouble adjusting to the fact that her best friend was not only a super hero but an alien princess as well.

"Tell that to my body. Goddess, my bag feels like it's been weighted down by a ton of rocks or something." They crossed the street and Usagi was side tracked by a teddy bear in window. "I have spent two months worth of allowance on this party and I had to begged Sam and Lita for some money when I ran out. I am _so_ broke it's not even funny."

"And you are going to the Crown?"

"I need to give the Andrew's dad the final installment and talk to him about the security. Also, I can eat off Darien's tab for free." She said piteously. "Other than that, I am up the creek."

"So that's why we're walking?"

"I don't even money for the bus." She wailed. They stepped into the Crown and she smiled. "Now I am happy." She declared before she bounced off and threw her arms around Darien's waist.

"Who is this woman and where is my baby?" Darien reached up to remove the headscarf from Usagi's head.

She ducked from his hands and kissed him full on the lips.

"Hey, hey." Andrew called, throwing a towel at the two. "Enough of that, this is a family place." He nodded in greeting at Molly. "Hey, Red want you usual?"

"I'm going to play a game first, Andrew." Then she said to Usagi. "I will see you love birds later."

Usagi caught Darien's hands as they wandered up to her hair once again. "Quit it." She pressed her lips to his for a final kiss before moving back. "I've missed you so much."

"We were all worried about you, Buns." He reached for her bag and led her to an unoccupied booth. "Are you ready to talk?" He asked once they were settled.

She shook her head no. "I want to forget a lot of it." She told him. "Like me killing myself and loosing you…"

"Hey," Darien reached out and took her hands into his. "I'm not leaving you. We went through this and you need to accept it because you're scaring the hell out me."

"I wish it was that easy…"

"Damn it, Bun." Darien dropped her hands as fell back against his seat. Usa looked as if she was on the verge of tears and he was already there. "I haven't seen you since that night. But knowing you, you take things in and make them your own problems. You internalize everything and so do I."

"So what should I do about it?" She asked sarcastically.

"You be good a girlfriend and help me clean my room."

Of all the selfish things he could have said.

"I'm serious." He told her. "You and I need to talk and my room needs to be cleaned. Let's kill two birds with one stone."

Usagi almost did a double take. "Of all the—"

"I also have this pile of laundry that seems to be growing." He flashed a brilliant, disarming smile that had her laughing softly.

"Let me talk to Andrew's dad and then we can leave." She slipped out of the booth and headed around to the back.

Thirty minutes later, Usa was sorting through a pile of Darien's laundry, while he rooted through the mess that was his desk.

Every few minutes he glance back at Usa and drink in the sight of her sitting in the middle of his bedroom floor surrounded by his dirty clothes. Before coming to his house, they had stopped at the Tsukinos so Usa could drop off her school bag and change out of her uniform. Darien fought off a grin as he recalled the startled look on Mrs. Tsukino's face when he and Usa entered. Apparently Usa's parents hadn't known their daughter had left her room after a week of self-imposed isolation.

Now she was here with him, in dressed in one of his favorite outfits, pink and white shorts, and a sleeveless hooded jacket. The only thing that threw off the entire effect was the pink bandana that covered her glorious hair.

"Sometimes I find it hard to believe that you were once a super clean neat freak, Nerd-boy." Usa laughed as she chucked a pair of dark blue surfer pants into the growing pile of darks.

"Have you forgotten the type of people I live with?"

"Bad influences, all of them."

"Yeah, but they are some of the best friends a guy could ask for." He reached for the phone beside his computer, "Sam mentioned that you put yourself in the poor house for my party."

"That snitch!" She cried, incensed. "Can't he keep his mouth shut for…"

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, how much do you need?" He asked.

Usa's left brow rose dramatically. "Excuse me?" she demanded gravely.

"I asked how much money do you need for the rest of this venture and I'm going to give you enough to get by on until you get your allowance." He told her.

"In a pig's eye!" She shrieked in outrage. "I'm not taking a handout from you." They already had this talk and every few months it would come back like cankerous toothache.

"Honey, you're broke and it's because of me." He began.

She frowned, "I'm broke because I want to be." She retorted.

He smiled, flashing his dimples at her. "You know most girls would love to have their super rich and very generous handsome boyfriends spoil them."

"And you do, my gorgeous, hunky, intelligent, genius beloved." She fluttered her long lashes at him. "But it's my turn to spoil you." She poked at a pair of his boxers gingerly. "Sweetie, didn't we discuss the Spider-Man undies?"

Darien rolled over and snatched his favorite under garments from her reach. "You made me give up my favorite jacket. Spidy stays."

"That green tweed thing was ugly as sin." She declared. Fire sparked in Usa's now silver eyes as she recalled the horrid abomination that not even Mina had been able to pry from Darien's hands.

"It made me look studious." Darien said defending the piece of clothing that he had loved.

"It made you look like a damn fashion victim crying out for help." She spat. She had taken the thing and personally destroyed it. She swore if she ever saw another piece of green tweed in Darien's closet she would burn it right in front of him.

"And what does that bandana say about you, my sweet?" He countered mockingly.

Usa's hands flew to the pink headscarf in question, her eyes wide with shock. "What's wrong with my bandanas?" She demanded.

Darien could hear the pout in her voice, but he ignored it so he could get to the truth. "It's covering you hair, sweets—"

"That's what's it's supposed to do." She said defensively.

"Why?"

"Because I didn't feel like combing my hair this morning. You know how much hair I have…"

"I do and never in the two years since we started dating have you ever not worn it down. I like seeing your hair, just like I love seeing you." He reached out and removed the offensive thing. "Why didn't you talk to me, Buns?" he whispered as he started to remove pins she had used to plaster her hair to her skull. "I was scared, I was thinking that you blamed me—"

"No," She cried, "No. I would never, _never_, blame you for what happened then, Darien. It was my fault—I was weak and I couldn't stop Beryl. I'm sorry!"

Before she knew it, Usa was in Darien's lap, wrapped up in his arms. She wrapped her arms about his neck and pressed her face against his shoulder.

They stayed that why for sometime, doing the one thing that both had thought impossible, they were healing.

Just when she had begun to get sleepy, Usa felt Darien's hands back in her hair. She didn't protest, having all that weight top of her head was giving her a headache, not to mention the pins that had been constantly scratching her scalp all day. It was a relief to have it all coming down until Darien started screaming.

"Oh, my God!" He yelped.

Without moving from her comfortable position, Usa opened one eye, glanced down at the pile of snowy white hair that spilled down her back and surrounded them. She yawned broadly before closing her eye and snuggled closer to him.

"Oh, yeah, my bra increased, too." She murmured.

That caused Darien to stop gawking at her hair. "Really?" He asked excitedly. "Can I—"

"No, touchy until I'm eighteen." She reminded him.

Darien pouted like a three year old. "But I just wanna—"

"Eighteen." She said firmly, but to soften the harshness of it, Usagi reached up and kissed his cheek. "But we make out until it's time for you to take me home."

"I don't wanna make out," he whined, "I wanna see 'em."

Usa opened her eyes and tried not to laugh. "What are you, three?" She snickered. "My god, you look like just lost your best friend or someone kicked your dog. Geez, they're just breasts."

Darien knew she would never understand. She just wasn't a guy. Guys understood, heck, even Mina understood ( she was the one that told him about the birds and bees in the first place.) It was just his luck to have a frank and open yet completely naïve hot girlfriend.

Darien picked her up about the waist and turned her around in his lap, making her straddle his legs. He touched his brow to hers as he placed his arms about her waist.

"Baby, you make my life hard." He said plainly.

She beamed up at him, her silver eyes sparkling with mischief. "No more than you mine, sweetie."

He tipped his head to one side and brushed his lips across hers. "But I'm loving every minute of it." He whispered against her parted lips before diving in for an all consuming kiss.

**4**

Usa squeaked and hid behind Lita.

"Leave me alone, Mina." The girl cried shrilly as the taller blonde made another desperate grab for her.

"Usa, please," her mother barked as she rubbed at her sore temple. "Just sit down and let Wilhelmina cut your hair."

"No," the petite Moon Princess said defiantly.

"You can't walk around with seven feet of hair." Ilene told her. "She's just going to take off three feet…"

"This is my hair." Usagi cried as she bundled it all around her.

"You can't afford it." Lita tried to reason with her cousin. "You've gone through two bottles of shampoo in three days."

Usa stuck her tongue out her as she walked over to the television. "I don't want to all of this hair, but I can't it either. I mean, don't think I tried?" The looks on the three women's faces clearly said they did not believe her. "Okay, so I didn't, but the point is—"

"Darien's party is in eight hours." Ilene reminded her. "We have to get there and supervise the decorating, Lita has to deliver the food and then come back here with Jiro and Taiki Kou to pick up the cake and make sure that arrives safely to Arcade. And we all have to be dressed, including you, the hostess."

Usa stopped fiddling with remote and dropped her hair. "Two meters, Mina, and not a centimeter more." She growled.

"Fine," Mina threw her hands up in relief. "You think I was getting paid for this or something."

Lita was about to commit only to have the doorbell sound. She waved Ilene back to seat as she started for the hall.

"Yes?" She asked as she glanced out the peek hole.

"Lindsey-chan, open the door, it's us" A familiar voice called out.

Lita hurriedly pulled the door open and stepped aside for sorority sisters. "Alex, guys. Wow, I wasn't expected you all for hours."

"I've come to help you guys here," Alex informed her.

"Is there anything we can take over to the Arcade?" Another girl asked her.

Lita snapped her fingers for a moment as she tried to think of something. "Oh, yeah, but it's at Tomoe-san home." She told her, "You guys know where she lives, right?"

There were a lot of shaking heads.

Lita sighed, "Let me grab my car keys and purse. Alex, come with me. Mina could use some help trying to deal with my cousin."

In just in time to, from the load crash in the family room followed by both Usagi and Mina apologizing profusely to Ilene for almost breaking Ilene's favorite lamp. Lita and Alex had run in and found both girls close to tears as they begged for forgiveness.

After Lita let her aunt know that she was heading over to Arcade to start with the preparations and reintroduced Alex to Usa and Mina, she left. Ilene sent the other girls to Usa's room while she remained downstairs, straightening up and gathering up Usa's hair.

While Usa showered, Mina and Alex when downstairs to help Ilene finish up with the cleaning. As soon as they had finished, the doorbell rang, Mina went to answer it and returned with Rei and Ami followed by Frankie, Jiro, and Taiki Kou. Rei and Ami went up to Usa's room. Jiro and Taiki went to kitchen while Frankie and Alex followed Ilene out to the garage for the decorations. An hour later they were all at the Arcade. Andrew's mother and sister were there helping out along with Darien's housemates and friends while Dave and Sam had the task of keeping Darien distracted until evening. (They hit golf range, were to have brunch, and then go to Tokyo Giant's game_. Sam needed a baseball fix_.) By mid morning, neither the Arcade nor the Fruit Parlor no longer resembled themselves. It was like stepping into a fantasyland dedicated to child in everyone. There were streamers, banners, and off course party hats, (Usa insisted on the hats). There was a crown of course, that was just for Darien. Ami had made it, showing her artistic side. Usa gushed appropriately and nearly ripped Frankie's head off when he attempted to don it.

There was the run to the Tsukinos' for the rest of the food, everything that needed to prepared on the premises had Lita and her friends in the kitchen. Ami went with Jiro and Taiki for the cake. Lita had spent three days making that giant confection that could melt in direct sunlight, She was happy that Ami went along, since the girl could create an cage of ice around the thing that would not melt, but would keep her masterpiece from cooling or getting wet.

Hotaru showed up around two-thirty to whisk Usa, Ami, and Rei off to a spa. Mina has assured Usa that she would make sure that everything would alright and that she would personally monitor everything, (that was before Lita ran her out of the kitchen with a giant chef's knife.)

As she watched the black limousine drive off, Mina though of everything that Usagi had done for her beloved little brother and she smiled. Before Darien had met the little bunny, he was a very lonely and introverted kid. His genius used to alienate children his own age and people of his intellectual level treated Darien abominably since he was a child and they were usually jealous of his gift.

Mina fell in love with Darien at first sight. Their parents had always been close; their mothers had been like sisters and had been friends since grade school. Mina had grown up thinking of Jonathan and Midori Shields as her uncle and aunt. When Midori told them about the baby, Mina happily claimed the unborn child as her baby. Her mother used to tell she and Darien that Mina knew the baby was boy; Mina would always talk to him and she called him her little brother. Mina wasn't ashamed of that, she said that she had been right and she was right, she had her brother.

From the moment Darien had been born, Mina had always tried to be there for him. She was always there to encourage him, she believed in him, and loved him, but their visits were not enough to erase the pain caused by others who he saw and interacted with daily. After his parents died, Mina's father brought Darien to their home and when he told Mina that Darien would be living with them, her love for the sad face little boy overflowed in her childish heart. They were now and forever siblings.

Mina remembered sitting up with him that first night, hugging him as she told him that he would never have to be sad again. She would always be there for him because she was his big sister and big sisters never let anyone hurt their little brothers.

Of course Darien had worshipped her and he adored her just as much as she did him. Mina was always there to protect him from bullies, tend to his hurts, and dry his eyes. The only time their relationship suffered was during her first year as Sailor V.

Things between she and Darien were strained during that horrid time because for the first time, Mina was keeping secrets from her brother. This hurt Darien more than anything when he found out the truth. Of course, he got over it when Mina came home, injured from a fight.

He helped her clean and treat her injuries. Through it all, Darien never said a word, even when he bound the long bleeding gash in her waist. After he helped her dress for bed and helped her to bed. Silently, he cleaned up her bathroom and wiped off the blood on her windowsill and was tracked over her bedroom floor.

Unable to bear the terrible silence between any longer, Mina weakly called to him. Her heart caught in her throat when she saw the tears streaming down his face.

"Dare," she whispered, tears stung at the backs of her eyes as she held her arms out to him.

He went to her then. Darien climbed onto the bed beside her and held onto her as much as he frail, boyish body would allow as he sobbed against her chest.

"I won't lose you, Sis." He vowed, his voice broken by tears held onto her. "I won't lose you like I lost my parents. I won't!"

From that night on, Darien was her constant shadow when she went out as Sailor V. She tried locking him in his room and arguing just did not help. Darien was just as stubborn as she was and like all kids his age, he though he was invincible. Not even a broken arm could slow him down. Soon, Mina found that she liked having sidekick, but they had to do something to protect Darien and hide his identity. She came up with the tuxedo and mask after running into Ace in London. She and Darien started taking martial arts classes and both were already proficient swordsmen, since they had been fencing for over eight years. He became more than her little brother in that time, Darien became her best friend and oddly enough, he was her hero. However, he would always be her little brother, the one person she loved and trusted most in the world.

And more than anything, she wanted his happiness. Usagi Tsukino made her brother happy. Sure, when the two first met they fought like cats and dogs. Mina had serious doubts about them until she quiet literally stumbled over the two in a very serious make out session in their father's office.

The only thing Mina could say was "Next time, use the game room, Dare."

Oh, Mina was grateful that Usagi had come into his life and wiped away all the pain and sadness with her love and brightness that she could give and more.

Darien deserved that and more.

The merry little twinkle of her cell phone brought Mina out of her thoughts of the past. She plucked it off her hip and glanced at the Caller I.D. and smiled happily as she opened it.

"Hi, Daddy." She said brightly, "Where are you?" she headed over to an empty booth and sat down, "No, Dare's at a Giant's game with Sam Tsukino and Dave Rothschild. Yes, Daddy, you've met them both as well as Sam's parents." She laughed softly. "I trust them, Daddy,--well I trust Sam to take care of Darien. No, no, I was kidding! I'm kidding. Dave's a good guy and a great friend to your one and only son. Alright, I love you and yes, your gift did arrive this morning. Hmm, I'm sure he's expecting your call. Alright. Bye, Daddy."

"Daddy?" Alex dropped across from her.

Mina put her phone away with a nod. "Our dad called from New York." She explained. "He wanted to be here for Darien's party, but you know business is?"

Alex knew from first had experience. "Missed birthdays, holidays, and recitals." She picked at one of the _papier-mâché_ decorations on the table. "My mother always had somewhere to be, a party or something that seemed more important than me."

"Ah and how is Princess Anastasia Alexandrova holding up in everyday society?" Mina asked, flashing her a teasing smile.

Alex waved her off. "I have no idea of how the Princess is doing, but Alex is just fine and is enjoying her new station as simple college student."

"You could have gone anywhere in the world, Anastasia."

"I needed sometime to find myself and discover what I want to do with the rest of my life." She then speared Mina with a hard gaze. "Don't call me Anastasia, Wilhelmina, only my mother does that to annoy me."

"_Da, dyevushka_," Mina said.

Alex burst out laughing, Mina's accent was atrocious, and Alex did not mince words in telling her so.

"Oh, shut up." Mina laughed at her.

Just then, Lita came out of the kitchen, in her normal cooking attire, jeans, chef's jacket with her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and a bandana over her hair. She saw her two friends in the corner booth and walked over to join them.

"What are you two blonde bimbos up to?" She asked as she dragged over a chair.

"Just shooting shit about Russian dikes with twisted attitudes." Mina smirked.

"And stuck up Japanese bitches." Alex flashed her a saucy grin.

Lita looked non pulsed by this. "So Mina, Eiji said his sister was transferring to Mugen Delta in the fall."

"Really?" Mina asked interested. "Wow, Michiru Kaiou would be a wonderful addition to the Tokyo cultural scene, not to mention what she will do for the music program at Hotaru's school."

"I knew Hotaru was excited, but you?" Lita was caught off guard by Mina's enthusiasm.

"Of course I'm excited and Darien will be, too." Mina sounded a bit miffed. "We are both fans of her work."

"I've met her a few time in Vienna and London." Alex was rather awed herself. "She is a gifted violinist, a true genius if there were ever one."

"Great, I just stepped into the 'We-Love-Michiru' fan club." Lita snorted disdainfully.

Mina and Alex exchanged a look, "Americans." Alex said.

"They have no appreciation for the arts." Mina agreed.

"Go to Hell, the both of you." Lita told them.

**5**

Darien tried to sneak a sip of Sam's beer only to have Dave pluck it from his hand.

"I'm not having your over protective sister or crazy girlfriend trying to kill me if you get drunk, kid." Dave said before Darien could even protest.

"You guys have me sitting in the sun, roasting," Darien growled testily. "Since I could not stay in bed like I wanted to, you can at least let me have a beer."

"Like the man said, o future brother-in-law of mine," Sam drawled, "I don't want to have fight off your crazy sister or my sweet, loving, but very deranged when it comes to you little sister because you are drunk."

"I can't believe you are afraid of my sister." Darien laughed at them. "Mina wouldn't hurt fly—"

"Don't lie." Sam admonished him.

"She single handedly beat the hell out that freak that used you as pin cushion." Dave told him.

"Only after Usa gave him a black eye." Sam reminded him.

"Never thought the little bunny had it in her." Dave admitted with a grin.

"What? You've forgotten how she runs me about like her whipping boy and slave." Sam cried in mock horror.

"Now that you mention it—"

"Yeah, yeah." Sam turned his attention back to game and the other two followed suit.

After awhile, Darien stood up, saying he was going to the concession stand. While he was waiting in line, his cell rang.

"Yeah?" He asked distractedly.

"Is that how you are answering the telephone now, Darien."

A smile as big as all out doors graced Darien's face as recognized the voice on the other end. "Dad—Sir, I'm sorry—Where are you? How are you?"

A warm chuckle stopped Darien's sputtering. "I am still in America and I am well, my boy. How are you today?"

"I'm good, actually, I'm better than that."

"Mm, Min said that you were doing well and that you are out with couple of your friends."

"Yeah, they are baby sitting me for my girlfriend while she sets up everything for my surprise party."

"It's not a surprise if you know about it." His father pointed out.

"No it's not, but Buns is really putting a great deal of work into this and I don't want to disappoint her." Darien ordered a hotdog, nachos, and a bottle of water. "When will you back, Dad?"

"I don't know." His father hesitated briefly before continuing. "I had planned to stop in London to visit your mother and your parents." He swore immediately. "Son, I am sorry, I did not mean—"

"It's alright, Dad." Darien rushed to assure him, "It took a while, but I can talk about them and today."

"Your Miss Tsukino again?"

Darien grinned, "She's the best girlfriend in the world. She insisted no tears on my birthday."

"And she is right, son. There are tears on this blessed day." His father said firmly, the warmth and love just slightly hidden beneath the surface. "I must go, Darien. Remember, I love you."

"Yeah, old man, I will never forget."

His father laughed, a deeply rich chuckle. "Happy birthday, son. I'll will telephone later this week."

"Thanks, Dad, and thanks for the sword."

"How do you know it's a sword?"

"I know you that well, Dad."

They both rung off after another set of good byes.

As Darien started back towards his seat, a feeling of unease moved through him. It was very brief which caused him to dismiss it as nerves. He found the guys and trotted over to them and spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the game.

**6**

Usa put down a butter cream coloured dress and held up a shell pink sundress with a flared skirt.

"What about this one?" She asked her fellow Senshi nervously.

"I like the lilac one," Ami told her.

"Personally, I think she would look good in the white one," Lita said.

"She needs some colour," Mina said with authority. "She should wear the pink one."

"The yellow one," Hotaru put in.

"Then she would match the decorations." Mina replied snipped. "I say the pink one—ooh, what about that heather dress with the halter top?"

"Can't be backless," Usa pouted, "Darien hands tend to wonder and mess with ribbons around my neck."

Every girl stared at her in shock.

Usa nodded sadly, "Mina, I hate to ruin the saintly image you may have had of your brother, but Darien is lecherous pig."

"Of course he is," Mina replied non pulsed, "He's a normal teenage boy. If he wasn't trying to cop a field every chance he had I would have been worried."

Hotaru just dropped her face into hands while it was Usa's turn to stare at her blankly.

"You know, he's going to knock you up first chance he gets." Mina told the stunned girl.

Ami and Rei turned to Hotaru. "We want in," the girls cried in unison.

"In on what?" Usa demanded.

"Oh, the guys have a bet going to see when your first child will be born." Ami told her.

Usa blinked. "What?"

"The current pot is two hundred thousand American," Rei added.

"Does Darien know?" Usa asked them.

The girls turned to Hotaru, she shook her head no.

"Then I want in," Usa said to the surprise of her friends. "And I say four—no, five months."

"Why five months?" Ami asked curiously.

"The wedding of course," Usa cried. "I want something some elegant and tasteful, not rushed looking like a shotgun wedding. And also, I will need to fit in my dress and at my height, four months will be pushing it."

"Make sense." Mina laughed.

"We are all in for five months." Rei told Hotaru as she hugged Usa.

"I want to know who put in two thousand dollars." Lita said.

"Me and Frank," Hotaru groaned. "Man, I hate to lose."

"Does Sam know about this?"

Hotaru gave her a dirty look, "At the risk of sounding like that Spanish twit; Do I look stupid." Mina started to open her mouth. "Shut up, Aino."

"Guys, we are getting off track here," Usagi whined. "I still haven't decided on a dress and I have to be at the Arcade in an hour."

Everyone shouted out their favorite colours. Usa threw her hands up in exasperation and screamed.

There was a knock on her bedroom door and the next second, a welcomed face peeked in.

"Puu," Usa shouted happily as she hurried over the woman as she came into her room.

Trista caught the girl in her arms easily at the same time, she surveyed the wreckage of clothes and shoes and influx of the Sailor Girls' paraphernalia that was everywhere.

"Wow, it looks like I've come at the right time," Trista laughed once she and Usa separated.

Lita pointed at the garment bag in Trista's left, "What's in bag, Trista?"

"Oh," for a moment, she had forgotten about the thing. "It's just a little something Darien asked me to deliver to his "personal eye-candy" on his birthday." She turned to Usa and laughed, "My guess is that he meant you."

"Eye candy?" Usa frowned as she cautiously opened the bag. "Mina, you need to have a long talk with your brother—Oh, my God, he got me Vera Wang!" She screamed, ripping out the dress.

"There is more outside—" Trista jumped back as Usa raced to her bedroom door and flung it open. "Yeah, shoes and—"

Usagi was kneeling in the doorway, ripping open a boxes. "A Harry Winston pink diamond necklace and matching ring!" Usagi squealed. "Ha! Eat your heart out world, my man loves me." She cackled like a madly, like something from B-horror movie. "Vera Wang shoes and in my size, too. Ah, he's so sweet." She sniffed loudly. "Oh, my baby, he's so—"

"Horny." Hotaru snickered.

Lita cuffed her upside the head.

Rei picked up the dress and gave it a critical once over while Usa was digging through her treasures. "Usa," she called absently, "I can see through this."

"I was right." Hotaru said smugly.

Usa stopped singing Darien's praises and glared at the dress over her left shoulder before she scrambled to her feet and grabbed it. She held it up to the light and her eyes got as round as saucers.

"Oh, my." Ami tried not to laugh.

"Mina, your brother is a pervert." Usagi tipped her head to one side as she regarded the dress. "I have a slip. There is no way I am not wearing this dress."

"Good," Trista picked her away around to Usa's desk and sat down. "The sooner you're ready, the sooner we can leave."

"We?" Lita asked.

Trista nodded, "I am invited of course?"

"Yeah, Puu." Usagi smiled at her. "Thanks for the—"

"Just hurry," she told her, "We wouldn't want the hostess to be late for her own party."


	8. The Dark Kingdom: Chapter VIII

**Eight**

**1**

Darien though he knew what to expect when he was his blindfold was removed, but never expected the sight that awaited him. He's first sight was of shining, glittering gold and dark blues, greens, and reds. Something was put on his head and people crowded about him, congratulating him, accompanied with hugs, kisses, and claps on his shoulders as he was urged further into the Arcade. It was blur of images until he spotted an angel.

Dressed in white tinted lightly with rose, Usagi stood out among the revelers, with her brilliant, diamond white hair, pearl complexion, and her beautiful silver eyes were fixed adoringly on him.

His lips stretched into a warm smile graced his features as came to stand before her.

Suddenly she was in his arms, pressed against him as she whispered, "Happy birthday, my dearest and only love."

A good beginning should had even better ending. But in the course of their two life times, Darien felt they should have known when they were at their happiest, something had to come out and ruin it.

And true to form, the party was in full swing when the Dark Kingdom attacked the Arcade.

Darien and Usa were huddled in corner booth, large chunk of his birthday cake between them that they were taking turns feeding each other when ground started to shake and the roof exploded.

People started screaming and the next thing Darien knew, Ami and Josh were at their sides. Ami pulled Usa out of his arms while Josh hauled Darien to his feet. Ami was running for the closest exit, with a firm grip on Usa's left hand when the space before them was blown to kingdom come.

Darien shouted Usa's name and tried to go to her, but Josh was forcibly pulling him in the other direction, when out of no where five armed to the teeth female creatures rose before them. One of the she-demons lunched at Josh with a pike. Josh pushed Darien back and he parried the attack with his own sword.

Now armed, Josh was able to take on their attackers as he tried to lead Darien to safety.

Darien looked behind himself and from the rubble he saw his love crouching on the floor behind a very dangerous and alien looking Ami.

Ice daggers flew from the Mercurian warrior as she speared their attackers. The creatures were turned the statues of ice that she shattered mercilessly.

"Endymion," Josh snapped as he grabbed his Prince's arm. "We need to get you to safety."

Darien started to protest, but Josh was already moving, half pulling half dragging Darien behind him, trying to make it to the other emergency exit.

Lita, Rei, and Jiro were fighting in the middle of the crowded dance floor. People were running everywhere and Beryl's creatures were taking advantage of the panic. People where being hurt and killed trying to flee. They were crammed together on the staircases, trampling over others and dying.

Frankie and Hotaru were trying to end the deluge of people at the stairs, but their efforts were useless against the flood.

"Mina!" Hotaru shouted. "We need a distraction!"

"Merc," the Venusian shouted over the den, "Blind them."

Ami nodded once, she threw out her hands and called out, "_Shabon Spray_."

"Senshi, protect the Princess." Mina ordered as she raced into battle swinging her _Love-Me-Chain_. A golden light wrapped about her as she leapt into the air. She threw the chain out and cut down the youmas who rose out of the floor. Venus jumped back as ball of lighting tore through another set of creatures that was falling from the opening in the ceiling.

"_Flame Sniper_." Mars shouted, unleashing a volley of flame arrows at creatures trying to force she and Nephrite into a corner. The terran warrior was protecting the Tsukinos and Usa's friends while Mars defended his front.

Neph spared a second to locate his Prince. He saw him and Zoisite trying for another exit but they had bogies on their tail.

"Jadeite!" He shouted, "_Boguis a las tres_."

Jade turned in that direction. He ducked a claw swinging at his head and kicked the youma in the gut. It stumbled back and was decapitated by Saturn's glaive.

"_Gracias_, Hota-chan," he winked at her before hurrying over to assist his liege.

Kunzite threw off three youmas that had tried to pin him down. Violet energy shot from his body as he tore through the ranks of creatures as Kunzite fixed his deadly gaze on Terra's great enemy. Beryl.

There was so much death, so many were suffering. If Ami had not been with her, Usagi knew she would have come completely undone.

More screams came from the side doors and stairwells. People were literally crushing other people who were trapped below them. The sounds of their deaths coupled with the sound of fighting had thrown the Moon Princess back.

It was the Fall of Silver Millennium all of over again and just like then, Usagi was overwhelmed—No, the memories of her past as Serenity…It was Serenity who was frightened and helpless.

Not her.

Before that day, Serenity had never witnessed as battle, she never had to fight.

But Usagi did. She fought everyday.

Until Serenity intentionally put a sword through her chest, the girl had never been hurt. Unlike Usagi as Sailor Moon. A warrior who has been injured more times than she cared to remember. A Senshi who lead her warriors in battle against the agents of Beryl's Dark Kingdom. She had killed, maimed, and destroyed all those who had stood against her.

She did not run from her enemies nor was she going to start now.

Usa felt the panic recede in her soul, memories of the past melted away as the shining warrior that resided in her was awakened.

The battlers seemed to stop and everything seemed to slow down as all attention was drawn to the front of the shop. Standing now, beside Sailor Mercury was glowing, stone faced Sailor Moon.

Moon glared at Beryl, her silver eyes narrowed into dangerous slits as she came forward.

"You know, Beryl, I put up with you in the past," she began conversationally. "I had Endymion, I was in love, blind and deaf to everything, including you. Then you killed my man and I admit that I let you off easy. I mean, hey, killed myself and you went home the victor that day." She stopped in the center of the room, ignoring everyone and everything except the redheaded she demon floating over the stage. "That ain't gonna happen to day, bitch. You better run now, tramp, because when I get my hands on your neck, I'm going to beat the hell out of you with your own damn right arm."

Darien could only beam with pride, "That's my baby!" He cheered her on. "I got your back."

"Kick her ass, babe" Jadeite cheered madly.

Zoisite stared at the two as if they had lost their minds.

If she could have, Venus knew she would have face vaulted.

"Move!" Kunzite shouted as grabbed Venus about the waist and just in time too as the Moon Princess launched herself at their enemy.

A flying tackle from Moon brought Beryl from the air and the tiny warrior was slamming her fist into Beryl's unprotected face. Just a few weeks before, Usa was going to kill the Moon Princess if she tried to take Darien from her. Luckily for them all, she turned out to be the Princess, but today there were no exceptions to be made. Beryl was a desperate little stalker tramp from their past lives who was still after her man. Oh, hell no, as far as Usagi was concerned, if it took death to get Beryl to understand that she was not going to get Usa's boyfriend, then so be it, the witch was going to have to die.

"Goddamn," punch, "stupid," backhand, "gutter-crawling-obsessive-freak!" Moon shouted as she continued to pommel Beryl's face, "He's with me! Endymion wants me. You fucked up by coming here trying to take my man…"

"Get off me!" Beryl shouted as she took swing at Sailor Moon's face.

Instead of knocking the smaller girl off, Beryl's attack only caused Usa to snap. Beryl could see a red haze film cover the Lunar Princess' silver eyes as the girl bared her teeth.

"That was your last mistake," she hissed through clenched teeth.

Those not used to violent, over protective, jealous side of Usagi could only stare in silent horror as the girl did as she claimed she would do.

Darien had transformed and come over to help his sister and Kunzite. Venus stood there, in a stupor, watching as her princess proceeded to beat their so-called "Greatest Enemy" to death with her fists.

Saturn quickly realized that there wasn't going to be a great drawn out battle. She waved in the other Senshi to help rescue the injured and repair what damage they could. Tuxedo Kamen asked Mars to toss about a few spells and he took care of their youma problem with his Golden Crystal.

The Senshi and Generals along with the Tsukinos, Alex, the Kou brothers, Andrew, and Eiji went to help the unfortunate people trapped in the stairwells and the rescue workers. Since it was still his birthday and practically a holiday therefore it was his day off, Kamen decided his involvement for the day was over. He went back for another slice of cake and watch Sailor Moon beat on Beryl. He pulled up a chair close to where Sailor Moon and Beryl were rolling about on the floor.

Beryl had resorted to hair pulling while his bunny was repeatedly slamming Beryl's head against the floor.

Well, Darien mussed, he couldn't have asked for a more interesting birthday celebration and he began to wonder how Usa was going to top this one next year.

"Die, you washed-up, yellow-eyed excuse for a succubus," Moon was yelling, "_Die_!"

A lock of Beryl's hair brushed the tip of his shoe, Darien glanced down and brushed it aside as he went back to his cake.

"Excuse me, Cape-boy," Alex said as she came over to him, "But we could use some of your help."

Slowly, Tuxedo Kamen raised his eyes to her before turning back to watch the love of his life defend his honor. "You need help, here I am." He quipped.

"Well, we need help…" Alex started, but Darien wasn't listening.

Beryl had sucker punched his sweetheart, knocking her off, and now the hag was trying to escape.

Moon had kipped up and was now in a low crouch. She touched a gloved hand to her mouth; when she glanced down, she saw blood.

Beryl staggered to her feet, her wild eyes searched the room for an ally or a weapon when her yellowish eyes fell on the object of her obsession.

"Endymion," she cried.

Kamen was in the process of carrying a forkful of cake to his mouth when he heard the rusty cry.

He cringed. "Aw, hell."

Alex took a step back, not out of fear but from revulsion. "_Bokh _(God)," she gasped in horror. "What is that!"

Beryl's face had been beaten in, her nose smashed, her front teeth missing and both of her eyes were swollen shut. It was even worst when she smiled. A sick, pathetic sight that just turned Darien's stomach.

In her obsessed hazed mind, Beryl did not see his disgust as she started towards him.

"You touch him, Beryl, I swear to God…," Moon shouted, running after Beryl only to come up short as sliver blade went completely thought Beryl's neck and sending her head flying.

Darien flicked the blood from the blade of his sword before returning it to his subspace pocket. He turned back to Alex and took his cake from the stunned woman's hand. "Well that's over with." He said. "I guess I should do something—"

"Holy mother of God!" Kunzite shouted.

Simultaneously, Darien and Sailor Moon turned to opening in the roof and immediately there was a flash of light. Everyone heard the two cry out once, when the light died down, Alex started screaming.

Ilene saw her daughter lying motionlessly on the floor. For a second, it looked as if Usa had fallen in a puddle of spilled punch or something, except as she looked closer, Ilene realized that colour was all wrong. The liquid was thicker, the colour too vivid…

"No, Princess!" The Senshi had abandoned their task and raced to their fallen leader's side.

Alex staggered back as the Kunzite and the others rushed to Darien still form.

Venus held the Terran Prince to her, screaming denials while Zoisite checked for a pulse.

Beside them, Mercury was working tirelessly to revive her Princess.

"Their spirits are here," Mars cried, her voice frantic as she watched Mercury and Jupiter work on Sailor Moon.

"I will not let them pass into death," Saturn swore violently. "They will not die this day."

"This is not what we were born for," Venus shrugged off Jadeite's hands. "Serenity. Darien…"

**2**

Usagi opened her eyes, a startled gasp escaped her as she looked about her. It was so dark, like a heavy black drape had been pulled over the sky, blocking out the sky.

"Where am I?" She whispered when she had pushed herself up to her knees. Usa paused as she listened—Her eyes went wide with shock when she realized that she heard absolutely nothing except for her own breathing. "There's nothing here!" She cried, panic firmly settling about her. "Where am I—Aaahh!" She jumped when she felt something touch her right shoulder. Usa spun about, her right fist flying out, but it was caught easily. She looked up quickly and then threw her arms about her companion's neck.

"Darien!" She laughed as she hugged him tightly.

"Ugh, Buns, you're choking the life out me, baby."

She let go sharply, an embarrassed blush staining her cheeks. "Um, sorry. Just got a little excited…"

Her fumbling apology was cut off as Darien swooped down and kissed her open mouth. A roguish grin graced his face when he glanced into her clouded eyes. Darien drew back after another kiss. He wrapped his arms about her small shoulders and planted a soft kiss between the two buns on her head.

"I have told you that you were my hero?" He asked softly.

Usa shook her head against his chest.

He nuzzled his chin on top of her head, a slight smile on his face. "Well, you are. Oh, God, I can't believe you actually fought for me."

"You're my life," She told him. "I was going to fight myself over you. No one going separate us and if some pathetic little whore tried to, I will be taking her head."

"Ah, there's nothing like true, psychotic love to make a man feel appreciated."

"Well, I am the Queen and I have to defend what is mine as well as fight for what I want." She smiled up at him.

Darien was going to rebuke her bold statement when something in the distance caught his attention.

"What are--?" he squinted his eyes, "Ruins?"

Usa had turned about and was now following his line of sight, "I see them." She was just as confused as he was, "They kinda look like a bluish white—"

"Just where the hell are we?" He demanded.

"Hey," she scolded, smacking his arm.

"Woman, please." He scoffed, "You have said worst in the last fifteen minutes."

"I was defending you." She reminded him.

Darien snorted, "You were just proving that you are possessive and psychotic. And I can't forget that you are insanely jealous."

"And you're not?"

"I never said I wasn't." He let her go but reached down to grab her right hand.

"Hey," she cried when he started to pull her towards the ruins. "What are you doing? Let go of my hand!"

Darien just rolled his eyes and continued towards the ruins. As they walked on, both allowed their transformations to drop. Usa had hopped onto Darien's back. They passed the time just talking. Usa was going to spend next month in New York visiting her great-grandmother and he going to visit some of his Chiba cousins in Atami. Usa wanted to know how the restorations were going at Chiba palace. Darien wanted to sell the place or turn it into a museum, but she had fallen in love with the place and had been working hard to keep him from doing either. (It was one of the last surviving shogun castles in Japan and it had been the site of several major battles during the Hundred Years' war and the Shogun wars.) Darien had a love for history, but had no use for the place. When he graduated from university, he was going to take up residence in his other ancestral home in Aoyama. Usa had talked him out of opening his houses in England up to the public; he was not going do the same with that rotten old money eater in the Japanese countryside.

"I will buy it from you." She was saying when they entered the ruins.

"You can't afford it," Darien said for the hundredth time.

"How do you know?" She demanded.

"I just know." He hunched down and allowed her to slip off.

"How much to rent it?"

"Are you saying you don't want to live with me?"

She looked aghast, "Of course I want to live with you. You will be my husband."

"How can you be with me when you want to live in the countryside?" He asked.

"I wanna live a castle." She pouted. "Every girl wants to live in a castle with her big, brave, handsome Prince."

"I'm a king, baby." He swatted her bottom playfully, "And you best not forget that, sweetheart."

Usa socked him in the arm. "King my foot." She was seething. "I will—"

"Buns," Darien called over his shoulder, "Stop talking to yourself and get over here."

She was not going to give up on their argument, Usa stormed over to him, ready to give him a piece of her mind. "Listen, Nerd boy, just because it's your birthday that does not mean— Dear Goddess, what in the name Selene is that?"

The thing that had captured Darien's attention looked like the hilt and pommel of a sword that was buried in the ground. With a start, Usagi realized what it was and more importantly where she and Darien were.

"Silver Millennium." She gasped as she stared at the ruins of her home. " This is my moth—this is my kingdom."

Darien looked up at her sharply, and then he too began to look about. He had only come to moon that one time and he had died here. "The Moon?" He could not believe it. "But how?"

But Usa was no longer listening to him. She hurried through the ruins as memories of her past life were racing through her mind reminding her of the happier days and the saddest day of her life as the heir of the universe.

Goddess, how it had all changed, there was nothing left except the piles of broken, crumbling pillars. It was like walking about a ghost town, seeing everything that was once alive and flourishing now reduced to nothing but, but…

Suddenly, Usa dropped to her knees on a cracked marble floor in what was once the center of the palace, the rotunda that was their place of worship. Sad eyes gazed at a broken column of dull crystal.

Darien had soon came after her; He was worried about the effect of seeing the ruins of her home would have on Usagi. The memory of that fateful day he had come to Silver Millennium were still too raw in his newly awakened memories. For Usagi, to have see the place had been both her home and grave it must had been overwhelming.

Quietly, he stood by watching as Usagi extend her right hand towards the ruined crystal pillar. Yet before she could touch it, Usa dropped her hand and then crumpled in on herself as painful sobs broke from her mouth.

Darien knelt behind her and carefully he took Usa into his arms and held her close. He sat there for a long time, just rocking her as he tried to comfort her but her grief had overwhelmed Usa completely. Darien wished he could take away her pain or erase her memories of that awful day. Everyone they knew and loved had died in one strike. He had died right before her eyes and then she…And it wasn't enough to satisfy the gods or fate. But to have her mother do the same and to be here alone. Darien's heart broke for her.

If he could only back, he would have done some many things differently. He would heeded the advise of his Generals and but an end to Beryl before she came a threat. He could have explained his position to his mother; Gaia was not so naïve that she would accept the life of one person over the lives of all their subjects. His mother would have done anything to protect her Kingdom, but it had been him who truly the weak one. But doubting his Queen and her strength as ruler, he allowed Beryl to live.

"How chivalrous you are, Endymion." A delicate, melodious voice wrapped about the pair. "You will take the blame for something that was never your fault."

Darien started quickly. He began to look about wildly. "Who's there?" He demanded once he was back on his feet. "Where are you? Show yourself." He commanded.

Usagi clung to him; in her right hand was her crescent wand as she prepared for a possible attack.

The voice chuckled softly. The sound of single pair of footsteps on their right had both warriors turning in that direction. They quickly moved apart, Usa going to the right as Darien took point and drawing his sword.

He could make out a vague outline as the person came closer. The sound of rustling silk and small, precise steps identified the persons as a woman. A brief flash of gold winking from the center of what could the brow of a small woman held his attention.

Usa's eyes narrowed as she recognized a form fitting white gown. She gasped and before Darien could ask her what was wrong, Usa had dropped her wand and was running towards the woman.

The strange woman had stopped and opened her arms just in time to catch the smaller girl.

"Serenity." She cried in wondrous delight as the two embraced.

"Mother," Usa gasped in surprise.

Poor Darien was forced to do a double take and sure enough, he was looking at the Queen of Silver Millennium. Alive, healthy, and well—alive.

What the hell was going on?

**3**

"Move back," Venus ordered.

The Senshi and Generals jumped out of the way to avoid being trapped in the magical barrier. Jupiter had to grab her aunt and drag her away from Usa's body and just in time to as the walls of crystal came up around the two fallen lovers.

"We can't let it grow here," Mars was saying, her voice mirrored her panic and confusion.

"We don't a choice." Mercury told her. She turned to Venus and said, "The thing that attacked the Prince and Princess is moving over Tokyo, and it's growing."

"We have to stop it, Venus." Saturn's tone was grave, "No matter the cost."

Venus nodded, "Without the Imperial Crystal we are strong enough to seal this creature away. The best we can hope for is to contain it."

Saturn stepped forward, her dark eyes filled with determination. "Awaken my team, Venus. With our combined strength and the power of the Outer Senshi Talismans, we might have enough power to return this demon to it's prison until our Princess has been reborn and is strong enough to defeat it."

"What are you talking about?" Kunzite demanded.

"We are going to banish this creature for another millennium." Venus replied grimly.

"No," Sam said angrily as he grabbed Saturn to him. "You're planning to commit suicide."

"We must protect this system." Venus said.

"Even if it means your deaths?" He asked incredulously.

She looked at the crystal that protected the two people she cared for, "Even if it means our deaths." She told him

Sam turned to Saturn and the other girls. He shook his head no; he was not going to allow it. He just lost his sister; he was not about to lose his cousin and the girl he was in love with.

"Lindsey." Ilene touched her niece's face sadly. "I have lost my sister and now my daughter. I can't lose you, too." She turned to Ami and Rei, "You girls are just babies. How can you want to do this?"

"Don't ask this of them." Venus growled. "This is not something any of us _wants_ to do. But this is our duty and our lives." She turned to face the confused family members and friends and she steeled heart against them. "We are the warriors of the Silver Millennium, the Princesses of this Solar System. It is our sacred duty to protect it and our Queen from that threatens them. We knew this going in, we accepted this from the moment we reclaimed our past destinies for we will bear this burden of this on our souls. Do not attempt to dissuade my Senshi from their duties with your pleas and tears. Respect them enough to understand their positions and our duty."

"Mina," Kunzite said, "We know you are hurting right now. But Darien would not want you—"

"This isn't about Darien." She snapped angrily. "We have to stop this demon before it becomes too powerful again. If this thing escapes the planet, then rest of the Solar System is doomed its past."

"Venus, we need to go." Mercury's quiet voice cut through the tension that surrounded them all.

Jupiter turned around and hugged her aunt. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Hotaru," Sam said pleadingly even as she pulled away from him. "Don't do this. I love you."

Hotaru knew if she turned around she would have tempted to stay with him, so she didn't.

"Tsukino-san," Mars said as Jupiter stepped away from her. "Would you tell my Grandfather that I love him?"

"Would you please tell my parents that I am so sorry," Mercury asked with tears standing in her dark eyes. "I'm sorry and I love them very much."

Kunzite touched Venus left arm, she glanced up at him, her face was an expressionless mask.

"What am I going to tell your dad?" He asked softly.

Venus looked past him to craggy crystal prison that held her brother and princess. "Tell him that Darien will be avenged." Resolved to the path she had chosen, Sailor Venus started towards the center of the room. "Senshi, it is time."

Mercury wiped at her wet cheeks, Mars laid a consoling arm about her shoulders. Jupiter took a final glance back at her family, she smiled sadly before she turned away. They all joined Saturn in the middle of the ruined room.

"We can teleport right beneath it." Venus told them.

"How are we going to do this?" Jupiter asked her.

"With the greatest power we possess," Saturn answered for their leader.

"I am not going to awaken the others just so they die," Venus told them. "If we are successful, our Princess will awaken and she will be stronger and be able to defeat our enemy."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Mars smiled, trying to bring a bit of levity to their grave decision. "Are Usagi-chan would say, 'Let's go raise some hell and make the witch wish she had never decided to come out of her hole'."

Jupiter grinned, "I don't Usa would ever say anything like that."

"It could have been Frankie." Mercury said, also smiling.

"Thanks, Rei." Venus laughed, "Well girls, I can't say it hasn't been fun. We have had one of hell of ride. It has been an honor to serve with each of you and in our next life, may we be friends again." The others nodded sadly. She held her hands out to Mercury and Saturn. "In a circle, ladies and let's hold hands." When they were all in rough semi-circle, Venus said, "Merc, get us started."

The crystal on the front of her Mercury's fuku began to glow as she called out, _"Mercury Crystal Power!—"_

Following close on her heels, Mars cried out, _"Mars Crystal Power—"_

_ "Jupiter Crystal Power—"_

_ "Saturn Crystal Power—"_

_ "Venus Crystal Power—" _Venus shouted as all their power built up. The area about them began to blur and swim as all the different colours of their combined energies came together and then it shifted.

They appeared in the downtown Tokyo, standing on the observation deck of Tokyo Tower right under the belly of the great, dark cloud of evil.

In one voice the five female warriors shouted, "_Mediation!"_

For days afterwards, people would remember the blinding flash of light that lit up the dark sky over Tokyo. The rioting and acts of violence ceased as people began to run away in terror from the light. People as far away as San Francisco, and St. Louis in the United States reported seeing a brilliant flash of something that was brighter than the sun. In Beijing and Moscow, both governments had an influx of telephone calls from hysterical citizens throughout the country that thought their nations were under attack. Many others though it was a sign from God either the beginning of the Apocalypse or a message for hope and peace.

In Tokyo and the outlying suburbs, the Senshi's attack hit with the force of three nuclear bombs. Buildings shook as glass was blown from windows. Car alarms went off, people were tossed about as the ground beneath their feet literally rose up beneath them. Water mains broke, gas mains exploded. Great gusts of dust and debris washed over the fleeing people, leaving even more death and destruction in their wake.

Back at the Tower, the Senshi poured all of themselves into the attack. They had managed to push the creature from the surface, but even with their strongest magic coming directly from their hearts and souls, they were still not strong enough to banish the creature completely.

Grimly, Venus watched as their enemy continued to stand against them. But the Sailor Warriors refused to give up. If they could not seal Metallia away then they could give their lives for their Princess' and pray that she could the impossible.

From her subspace pocket, Venus drew a stone sword. She held the blade aloft and it began to glow. "Oh, majestic blade that protect our Princess," she prayed, "Hear me once more. Pierce this darkness; make it though to our Princess. We give you our powers and our lives…" _Princess Serenity, Usagi, you must be alive!_ "Awaken, Serenity! Pay homage to our Holy Tower and bring peace to your kingdom!" She shouted. "_Serenity!_" With a final blast of their strength, the Senshi were thrown from the tower.

About the base of Tokyo Tower, the five brave warriors lay dead. As the last of their life forces faded away, the transformations faded along with their terran glamour, leaving the five alien princesses to be found along with the rest of dead when the search for survivors began.

_"Foolish Senshi,"_ the demon chuckled. _"This time, Terra is mine!"_

**4**

Usagi dropped down on broken column, her pale face had lost all colour.

Darien stared speechlessly at the former Lunarian Queen.

"We're dead?" Usa whispered.

"Not yet, my darling," the Queen corrected. "You are in between life and death."

"I don't understand," Darien confessed. "I feel fine…"

"This time and place exist outside the parameters of what you accept as reality, Endymion." She assured him, she turned back to her daughter and said. "Unfortunately our time here is short and Serenity, we much to discuss."

"I can't believe I'm dead." Usa muttered.

Queen Serenity looked to Darien for help, but the boy just as worst off as her child. The Queen sighed wearily. "I need your attention since you both refuse to talk. Endymion, you and your mother, Queen Gaia did not know much about us of the Silver Millennium when you decided to marry my daughter. Serenity was quiet young and was continuing her education that would prepare for her future duties as queen and the Protector of the Silver Imperial Crystal. Since our kingdom was at peace, I was no great hurry to rush Serenity's training; I realized much later that was a grave mistake on my part. I allowed her a carefree life of innocence and pleasure. This was how she came to discover your world and fall in love with you.

"The year Serenity was to marry you, the sun was very active. The Queen of Neptune and the King of Mars were highly concern about this phenomenon therefore they brought this to my attention and I created a committee to investigate it. But I was too slow in my doing this for this unknown evil had already slipped past my Inner Sentinels and somehow buried itself deep within your planet. I contacted Gaia with these findings and we decided our best course of action would be to work together in trying to locate the criminal who summoned this evil to Terra, dispatch of the witch, and purge this darkness from our Universe."

Darien started, his dark eyes filled with shock. "My mother knew about Beryl?"

The Queen nodded, "We were afraid that it would attempt a coup to take over your kingdom from the very beginning. Because your mother was afraid for you, she masked the power of your Golden Crystal early in your life and I played up the power and strength of my crystal through Serenity and with power of my Senshi. It had been our intent to drive the evil out of your world and to mine where I could destroy it and your mother would obliterate the foul creature that summoned it.

"Unfortunately, things did not go as we had planned. So many mistakes were made on both sides, small, seemingly inconsequential actions at the time led to our downfall." Queen Serenity walked over to the ruined crystal tower, her face an unreadable mask as she gazed down at the broken pieces. "We did not know until it was too far gone that this creature had crept into the hearts of your Terrans," she continued. "The creature sought the power of the Silver Crystal and the Terran throne. It wanted to overthrow my rule, yet it needed a base of power—"

"It came after us." Darien said.

She nodded slowly, "Once in the hearts of the Terrans the foul creature created envy, fear, and paranoia within your people and it turned them against we of Silver Millennium." She turned back to them, "Gaia and I kept this information from you two. It was deliberate and selfish, yet our only desires were to protect you and Serenity. You both were so young and naïve and were caught in the first blushes of love. We did not want cause your worry…"

"Had I known," Darien said through clenched teeth. "Had I known my mother knew about Beryl's treachery, I would have killed that witch and spared our kingdoms this tragedy."

Shame coloured the proud monarch's features, but she continued to meet their steady gazes as she continued with her narrative. "When the Terran Kingdom fell, I realized that I would be making final stand here at my kingdom. My advisors and I assumed after you and your guardians had arrived that we would a day or more to prepare for a counter strike against the evil. We were completely caught unawares when the beast arrived on your heels, Endymion. My Senshi were immediately targeted and killed. Serenity's guards fell just moments after their noble parents. I had come too late…I watched young Freya cut down the witch that was responsible for your deaths. The poor girl, she was gravely injured and dying when I reached her side. There I was, alone, surrounded by dead and dying. Then I saw you, my sweet Serenity…My grief was so sharp and devastating. I could not breathe; I was caught in a wellspring of sorrow and rage. When I faced that beast, those emotions had so clouded my heart and mind that I was unable to defeat the demon."

Usa looked at her worriedly. "What do you mean you could not defeat it, Mother?" She asked. "What did you do?"

"Since I could not focus my energies or my heart, I was forced to seal the demon away." She said quietly. "I was not thinking straight when I banished it."

"Mother, please," Usa tone was urgent, "Did you send it back Terra?"

She nodded solemnly.

"Why?" Darien exploded. "Why would you send it back to my world? Why not to where it had come from originally?"

"I was overwhelmed," she explained. "Serenity, you must understand that our hearts control the Silver Crystal. Our must be pure like crystal or we are weakened and destroyed. My grief and regrets led to my destruction and it is why the evil has returned. My dearest Serenity, I am afraid the task of ridding the Solar System of this is has now fallen to you."

"But Mother," Usagi whispered, "I don't have the crystal."

Queen Serenity looked surprised by this news, "Well, something must be interfering with your will to summon the crystal." She then smiled warmly at her daughter. "Sweetheart, do not fret over this. You are now the Queen of Silver Millennium, the power of the Solar System and the Silver Crystal are yours to command. When you ready to fully accept them, they will come to you."

With the greatest fear laid to rest, Usagi took comfort in her mother's words and returned the Queen's smile a hundredfold. "You're right, Mother, I will not worry about this."

"Good. Now it is time for you to return to Terra." the Queen said as held her hands out to her. Usagi came to her and the two embraced. As she held her daughter close this last time, Queen Serenity gave her daughter final bit of encouragement. "My dearest, most beloved daughter. You must be strong, my love; You must possess faith, unity, and deep love at all times, for without them you cannot defeat the evil. Be proud that you are the Queen of this bright kingdom and Champion of Justice, my dearest Serenity." She pulled back taking Usagi's face in her hands before she leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss on the spot were Usagi's crescent moon was. When she drew back, the golden insignia was shining brightly on her daughter's brow. "Never forget that I am so very proud of you, my darling girl, or that I love you." She raised her eyes to Darien, a watery smile appeared on her trembling lips. "All I ask is that you continue to love my daughter. Even in the most difficult times and when you two are at a crossroads in your lives, remember that she is reason you live and the only one you would die for. Take care of her for me, Endymion." Her gaze drifted back to her daughter, who now had tears in her silver eyes. "She is so small yet she bears a great burden on her tiny shoulders."

"I promise, I will love her forever." Darien replied solemnly.

"I know. It was why you were reborn there, together." She whispered as she wiped at Usagi's damp cheeks. "Good-bye, Serenity."

"Mother," Usagi cried out in fright as she grabbed at the Queen's hands. "Don't leave me again, please—"

"My darling, I have never left you. When you look at the moon, you will know that I am here, watching over you." Carefully, she freed her hands for her daughter's and then she moved back, her image fading before their eyes.

"No, wait, Mother—"

"I love you, Serenity." The shade whispered.

"Mother, I—" Usa choked out. With some effort, Usagi forced herself to smile as she called out to the shadows, "I love you, Mother, and I will never, never forget you."

**5**

Her first memories were of him. Oddly enough, they had always been of him. Even before they ever spoke, she would either fantasize or dream about him all the time even after they had met.

How it all happened, it was quiet simple. She had seen his face on a screen in one of the monitoring rooms in the Minister of State's office. No one said anything as the High Princess stood rooted in one spot, staring openly at the beautiful young man with the raven dark hair and deep, mysterious sapphire eyes. She memorized his features that afternoon and later she added his face to her precious collection of sketches that she hid from her closest friends and companions.

Weeks later, she knew his name and for days after she haunted every office that had contact with the mysterious blue planet that her small world circled and she managed to learn more about him. The ministers believed that their Princess was finally showing some interest in the matters that concerned the Kingdom and welcomed all of her questions about the planet and the Terran Royal family. Oh, how clever she was, too. Disguising her inquiries about the Terran Prince with questions of possible treaties and diplomatic correspondences between their states; It was so easy for her to fool everyone, even her own mother never guessed her true intentions. In a short time, she knew a great deal about the Crown Prince.

He was well educated, intelligent, charming and mindful of the welfare of his people. He was also his planet chief military leader and a leading diplomat. He was handsome, brave, cultured, and perfect as far as she was concerned. She had to meet him.

Seeing up close him was the end for her.

One look and her hesitant, stumbling conversation with him had ruined her for all others who would have ever tried for her hand. No one could compare with him in beauty, a beauty that went beyond his physical appearance; he was truly a kind and generous person once she was able to see beyond his arrogant facade. He was curious about the other planets, he had thousands of questions about everything and she was happy to answer all that she could or bring him books that he seemed to devour with a mental voraciousness that rivaled the Princesses of Mercury and Venus.

She went from childish infatuation to love almost immediately and he expressed the same feelings. Their first kiss brought the Universe to a stand still and before either knew what was happening, the Princess was being carried away, surrounded by a small platoon of Venusian Senshi under the command of the leader of her guardians.

Days and weeks of no contact with her beloved nearly killed her and then one day, her mother relented. The Princess raced from her palace to the Terran keep and fell, literally on top of the Prince. He was on his training grounds, resting after a furious sparing match with his cousin. His joy at seeing her and being with her again mirrored her own. It was right there, with him lying flat on his back and she laying half on him that the young Princess asked the handsome Prince to marry her.

After he argued that it was the man's place to ask his ladylove to become his bride, he relented and graciously accepted her proposal.

At that moment and for the year to follow, she believed that she would have her fairytale ending. Her life was unfolding like one of her favorite stories complete with the handsome Prince who only loved her. Then glass dreams were shattered. Her fairytale had a tragic ending; Her Prince was dead, her kingdom was dying as she lay taking her final breaths.

A new life and new dreams and different memories came for her in the distant future.

She was an everyday schoolgirl in Japan. She blended into the scenery of the time and the backdrop of humanity like everyone else. She was nothing special; She wasn't a Princess or famous, she just didn't stand out in a crowd. But he did.

The first time she saw him, her heart sped up and her breath came out in short pants. He was so beautiful with raven dark hair and deep mysterious sapphire blue eyes. She was a confirmed romantic and believed in love at first sight. That was until he opened his mouth.

He wasn't compassionate or sensitive. He was arrogant, snide, and petty. She decided that she hated him after their first conversation. He was just some snooty college student and far too old for her if he was in medical school. So she wrote him off, rather she tried to, but whenever he was about, she found herself drawn to him. Soon her disgust and dislike gave way and she found herself falling desperately in love with him. She tried to fight it, she was too young and he much too old to ever take her seriously. For a long time she tried to hide her feelings, but he was very perceptive when it came to her and to her surprise and utter amazement, he confessed that he felt the same way about her.

Her joy at his revelation immediately turned to heartache. She did not know what to say other than blurt out that he couldn't love her. He was a grown man and she was just a kid what kind of relationship could they possibility have? He was confused, but then realized what she was talking about it. After that afternoon in his father's office, there had never been any confusion between them until recently.

This new confusion led to the merging of the past and the present. The former royalty of the Moon and Terra had awaken in the a future where they were together and deeply in love with one another. This was how their story should have been. It was their story and destiny to find each other and always love one another…

_Endymion…_

"_My Silver Imperial Crystal, I beg of you to help me find him…_" She felt her heart beating in time with another pulse. "_Endymion, my love, this time we will be born on the same planet and we will find happiness. My crystal, I will hold you to my breast…Together, we will protect you; And this time we will find happiness…_" The beats joined as the power began to build in her soul. "_Endymion, we will transcend time to live again. We will find happiness—Endymion._"

"Serenity," he soul reached for hers, his magic brushed against her power. "Stop trying to corrupt me with your Lunarian magic."

With a start, Serenity sat up reaching for him. "Darien? Endymion."

"Darien, Endymion, Endy." He laughed, "I am whoever you want me to be, even your baby."

She threw herself into his arms and hugged him for all she was worth. "Selene, I hope we are alive." She cried as she burrowed into his arms.

"You feel solid enough, a bit soft some places." He felt a floor beneath him and heavy satin at his back confirmed to him that he was alive.

"Sweetie." The light of his life murmured.

"Yes, love?"

"Your hands are wondering." She snapped as she pulled away from him.

He shrugged as he reached up to brush his hair from his eyes. "Your fuku is just so inviting."

"Yeah, yeah." She reached up waved her right hand over her broach to release her transformation but her fingers bumped against something. She gasped as the thing began to glow.

"Well now," Endymion grinned. "It would seems as if your mother was right."

Floating before her awe struck face was a shimmering, brilliant Silver Crystal. "Oh." She brought her hands up and the crystal moved towards them. "My crystal." She breathed.

Endymion moved towards her, his own crystal gravitated towards hers just as he moved towards her. Serenity raised her face towards him, he brought up his right hand and caressed her face. He leaned forward, first kissing the golden insignia on her brow, then her tip of her nose, before he lightly pressed his lips to her rose petal soft mouth.

_"So you have awaken, heir of Silver Millennium?"_ A dark, craggy voice broke through their moment of happiness causing the two lovers to pull away from their tender embrace.

Endymion blew out a sharp breath as he felt the hatred and malice coming from around the world as the demon's poison tried to seep into his world. Endymion's crystal reacted quickly, it golden light started to shine and he began to fight against evil in his planet.

Serenity crawled away to edge of whatever they were in. She sat back and looked up at the structure that surrounded them. Slowly, she reached out and touched it thick wall of crystal before she quickly withdrew her hand.

"Endy," she said, her voice filled with panic.

"What is it, my sweet?"

"We are encased in Silver Crystal."

"No wonder my crystal is working overtime." He snorted.

"What was that?" She demanded.

He rolled his eyes, "You're crystal was trying to corrupt me, but mine drove you magic's out and revived me." He stood up and picked up his sword. "Sweetheart, we need to get out of this. Something is very wrong out there—"

"Endymion." She glanced back him and took his offered hand. Her crystal followed her as she joined him. "There is so much hatred and cruelty—" she whispered.

He wrapped his arms about her waist. The crystal cage shattered and melted away in leaving them in the ruined Crown Fruit Pallor.

Kunzite was first to notice them. He called out them.

"Where are my Senshi?" Serenity asked urgently. "Why can't I feel them?"

"Usa," Ilene cried as she to her daughter.

"Serenity," Endymion said sharply. "You need to calm down…"

"No!" She cried as she tried to pull free of him. "Let me go, Endymion! I need to go to them. I have to save---" She cried out as waves of cruelty and hatred slammed washed over the area.

"Serenity!" Endymion cried when she fell against him.

She clutched at her head as she battled back the nausea and dizziness that pounded her. "I must stop her before her darkness covers the entire planet." She said weakly.

"No!" Her mother cried frantically. "Usagi—"

The Prince and Princess ignored her and all others. Serenity beseeching gaze steeled his decision. Endymion turned to his Generals and ordered them to find the Senshi. He picked up his Princess and the two vanished.

**6**

"This is most idiotic thing you could have ever done." Serenity complained as she watched her Prince channel his transformation to summon his armor.

Endymion glanced about the rooftop of the Tokyo Hilton and shrugged. "I could have put us on the ground." He replied nonchalantly.

She rolled her eyes as she pulled out her crescent wand. "Why don't you go play rescue hero with your guards."

"You are forgetting that this is my planet, dear heart, and it will fight you while it's fighting that blob of demonic goo." He stooped to plant a quick kiss on her neck, "Are you ready, love?"

"Ready as I will ever be." She told him.

He caught her chin, making her look at him, Endymion smiled down at her. "We will win," he assured her. "I will save my planet and you will save your friends."

"I—" She tried to protest, but he stopped her with a quick, hard kiss.

"No doubts or regrets." He said, looking into her eyes. "Remember what your mother said. The Crystal follows your heart." He winked at her. "Don't forget that I believe in you."

A soft smile graced her features as she reached up to return his kiss. "I love you, too." She whispered.

In the distance, the demon had turned towards them. She felt the power of the legendary Silver Imperial Crystal and to her surprise, another crystal of equal strength. She cackled madly as her lumbering form shifted and rolled over the Tokyo skyline.

She recognized the pair standing on the rooftop, completely oblivious to everything except one another. It was the Princess of the Silver Millennium and the Prince of Terra. Oh, how easy this victory would be, she declared to herself as she picked up speed, she rolled up like a wave charging towards the shore.

From the corner of his eye, Endymion watched the demon as she closer. A cruel smirk graced his handsome features as he ended his kiss with his beloved.

"It's time to end this," he murmured.

"Damn these harpies." She pouted as tightened her grip on the staff of her wand. "Always interfering during our _amore_ time."

"I will let you make it up to me." He grinned.

She snorted, "No, you will make it up to me." She retorted as she walked stepped forward. Serenity fixed her eyes on the dark shadow that once destroyed all she loved and cared for. "You will go no further, demon!" She declared, proudly, her voice was strengthened by her determination to win and to protect everyone she loved and cared for now. "I, Serenity of Silver Millennium, will seal you away!"

The silver crystal rose in the air before it settled in the crook of the golden crescent moon of Serenity's wand. Above the creature of darkness, the moon appeared in the sky, shining brightly as new day sun as it heeded the call of it's mistress. She closed her eyes, filling the power of her world, the strength of her heart and love and the power of her fallen Senshi. She channeled it, through her soul, letting it build and grow.

_"I need more power," she prayed, "Great Power of my kingdom, We give service to thee. We pay homage to thee and thine sacred tower. Grant us strength to succeed and bring peace to this land."_ Serenity felt it as the magic tore through her body and mind, wiping away everything she through she had known or would every feel, leaving her hollowed out, pure and clean as a crystal.

Endymion had to look away, for the light was bright and strong that it seemed to blind him with it's intensity.

Serenity screamed as power pushed at the body, demanding to be freed. "Come to me, O Great Light of the Moon!" She yelled out, as the light wrapped about her. "I thee mine life, body, and mine soul!" Her eyes flashed opened, showing silver tinted whites and magic poured from her. "Strike this demon down. Destroy her heart!"

The demon reared back as waves of the bright magic slammed into her.

_"Ohh,"_ the creature cooed as she began to absorb the energy pouring from the young warrior. _"This moonlight! This is it! This is what I have longed for. The great power that called from abyss hidden in the sun."_ But power was too great even for her to consume and she began to scream in pain as the force of the young girl's strength began to low her body away.

Now it was time. The crescent moon on the girl's brow flashed brightly as she shouted. "Get back, you foul creature. This sacred light will burn you to dust!" Serenity thrust her wand into the air. The Silver Crystal expanded and opened up like a flower as the all the power Serenity had been channeling violently tore from each crystal petal. When the energy hit the demon's swollen body, it reached with all the magic the creature had already devoured and for one tense moment, nothing happened. And then she exploded.

There was loud pop, sounding oddly like balloon that had just been burst. There was a great rushing of wind that shook every building for twenty miles in every direction and could have been felt for hundreds of more even going out to sea.

Endymion grabbed Serenity to him and wrapped them in an energy field of golden energy.

When he was sure that the earth had stopped moving, Endymion lowered the shield. He teleported to the ground, in a park close to his house and he laid Serenity down on his cloak.

He could feel his guards were looking for him, but he had more pressing things to worry about. He knelt in the clearing, burying both his hands in the soil until he touched the heart of his world.

"My poor Terra," he smiled sadly as he reversed the damage that had been done by Beryl, the Senshi, and the demon. "You've just been scratched a bit. But this much will soon heal."

An hour later, everything had been repaired and lift was restored as the people in Tokyo and the suburbs began to pick themselves up and wonder about.

"What happened?" Alex asked in awe after people who died, began looking about and started asking questions.

Kenji helped his wife stand up. Sam offered his hand to Trista while the Kous, Eiji, and Andrew went to check on the others in the Arcade.

"I think we have been saved." Trista said blankly.

"Hey, everyone," Seiya Kou shouted from the staircase, "David and the guys found the girls."

"Oh, my God." Ilene said as she collapsed weakly against her husband.

"Are they alright?" Trista asked him.

"Is Hotaru okay?" Sam demanded.

There was a commotion down stairs, Seiya jumped back as the David and the others hurried up the stairs carrying the five warriors. Andrew carried Ami to table and quickly laid her down on the top.

"Did any of them have a pulse when you found them?" He shouted as he started compression on Ami's chest.

"Hotaru," Sam cried out as he tried to reach his girlfriend. Jiro turned around and caught his friend before he could touch her. "Let me go, Jiro." The youth growled menacing as he tried to shove his friend out of the way.

"Let Trista and Drew do what they can," Jiro said as he forced his friend back.

"I'm not getting anything." Josh said after he breathed in a breath of oxygen into Lita's mouth.

"We are not giving up on them." Andrew declared furiously. "Come on, Ami. C'mon, kid, you got too much to live for to give up now."

"Oh, shit!" Frankie shouted as pulled his hands away from Rei's chest.

The three medical students turned to him, "What did you do?" Trista demanded as she rushed over to where he stood.

"What is it?" Andrew swore when he saw a red stain appear on the right side of Rei's peach coloured dress.

"I didn't do anything," Frankie protested. "She just started bleeding and…"

"Mina's bleeding." Dave shouted over the arguing pair.

"Damn it," Andrew snapped. "Check them all. God, where are those paramedics?" He started back as he Ami's body began to glow. He turned around and everyone had moved back as the four other fallen warriors bodies began to glow as well. Suddenly an intense bright silver light filled the room. Everyone cried out and covered their eyes.

When the light had finally died down, Andrew looked about and began to laugh in relief.

"Oh," Lita groaned as she rolled onto her side and gingerly clutched her aching head. "It feels like I have been drinking from a bong."

"Next time, let's not take the honorable death route." Hotaru moaned as she stared up at the heavily decorated ceiling.

"I think we won." Rei said through dry lips.

"Why does winning always have to hurt this much?" Ami wondered as pushed herself up on her elbows.

Mina asked the question that was foremost in each Senshi's mind: "How the hell did we get back here?"

Serenity rose from kneeling before the crystal tower. A soft smile graced her features as she left the Prayer Chamber. A guard bowed to her as she closed the door.

"Your Majesty," A tall, ebony haired woman dressed in a golden robes with a golden crescent moon on her brow inquired as the girl turned to face her. "Would you please reconsider this decision. This is your home and we need you here."

Serenity smiled fondly at her Prime Minister then she moved to embrace her. "I will return, Luna." She told her. "But right now, my place is still on Terra, with my parents, friends, and Endymion." She stepped back, her silver eyes warm as she said, "I trust you to take care of things until my return?"

"Of course, your Majesty." Luna told her, "I am your loyal servant."

Serenity nodded. "I know." She looked past Luna and saw Endymion standing not too far away, his expression was anxious as he was in a hurry to return to his home. "Contact the other planets and let them know of the other girls' survival. I will be in contact soon."

"But my Queen," Luna started to protest, "What about your coronation?"

"We will talk about some other time." Serenity told her. "Right now, I just want to see my family and make sure my Senshi are alright?" She rushed into Endymion's arms.

Luna smiled fondly at her girl and then waved her off. "Then go, your Majesty."

Serenity glanced back her former nemesis, her mother's chief advisor and Prime Minister. "I'll see you soon, Luna." She told her.

"Be well, Queen Serenity." Luna said as she bowed to the girl.

She nodded once. The world about her faded as Endymion embraced her. She turned away as her palace in the stars faded away. When she looked up, she was seeing a Terran dawn.

She heard door slam open and some called her name. She turned around and just in time to be caught up in the arms of her family.

Endymion had brought her home and it was where everyone had come, waiting for them to return. Both were passed around for hugs and kisses, but she noticed that Senshi hung back. Gently, she disengaged herself from the crush of her family and she stepped forward. The five warriors silently transformed and each went down to one knee and crossed their right arms over their hearts in the traditional Lunarian salute.

"Queen Serenity," Venus intoned formally. "We are—"

"Let's not do this right, now." The new Queen told her, "I'm tired and it's late. Get out of the grass and go home." She yawned broadly and stretched her sore muscles. "Ames, you still staying over?"

"Your Majesty—" The Mercurian Senshi stammered.

"Until we go back to Silver Millennium, I am Usagi." She told them. "Not Queen Serenity, nor her Majesty, or anything else. You are all my friends and that's how we will always be."

"Guys," Endymion said to his Generals, "Let's stick to Darien and you being my friends again. Even you cousin," he said to David.

"Cousin?" Mina perked up.

"It's a long story." Darien yawned, "I'll tell you on the way home."

"But I don't…" Mina tried to argue.

"Come by later today." Usa told her. "Much later." With that final order, the young Queen of Silver Millennium, Senshi of Justice, and all around average Japanese school headed into her house for a well deserved rest.

_End of Part One: _

_**The Dark Kingdom**_


	9. The Dark Moon Family: Chapter I

**Part II**

**The Dark Moon Family**

**One**

Three weeks had passed since Darien's birthday and the biggest news story in the country and internationally, was the gigantic blob that had attacked the Tokyo suburb Juuban and the strange phenomena that over took the moon that same night.

Scientist and other experts were at a lost when they tried to explain the events of that night. Three satellites were destroyed while in orbit over the Japanese islands thus there were no visual records of what occurred that night, and all recorded data of the attack had been lost. What did survived was the image of the Sailor Girls being killed after they attacked and failed to destroy the blob. An idiot with a cell phone had caught the entire even the explosion that "killed" the young warriors.

More so, a vast majority of populace remembered either dying or watching other people die throughout the city. There were no explanations for what had happened that night, modern medicine was a lost for what had occurred and science was baffled as more people came forward claiming to have died during the destruction. With no logical answers for the how or the why, the people decided to think of it as a miracle, a final act from the Sailor Girls and their compatriots. However, the nation just could not caulk this up to mystical powers and science demanded some sort of answers, because Tokyo and Japan had not been the only country to have been affected by what had happened.

Places in as far away as the Americas and the Poles reported seeing bright lights and other strange phenomena and the moon was still behaving strangely. The day after the attack was a hard one. Just as the nation and the city was turning to their morning news shows or picking up the paper they realized it had not been a nightmare. Officials had rushed about Tokyo looking for evidence of the attack and destruction, but came up empty with physical evidence. All that remained was now prized "Sailor Girl" video.

The Minister of the Interior set up a taskforce to investigate the events of August third while the Prime Minister of Japan declared that the nation was in official mourning for the rest of the month. It was their way of honoring the brave Sailor Girls and remembering their sacrifice to defend to Japan. Someone even suggested that a memorial be built. Usagi and her friends had a good laugh over that while Darien and his guardians scowled and complained. They had fought Beryl and her pet demons, too. Didn't they deserve some recognition, David had argued before they all left for their various vacation spots.

After a month's separation, everyone was glad to be back and all had something to share. While in Hawaii with her father and his new wife, Rei had a meeting with Mars High Chancellor. After meeting with him, she was given a letter from her brother, King Ares IV. He missed his sister and was elated that she had returned. He also understood if she chose to remain on Terra with their Queen, it was her duty and he would respect that. He sent her his love and miniature of them in a ruby locket that she now always wore.

Ami's meeting was not so heartfelt. She had been the only child of Queen Metis Athena and Prince Thoth and Mercury's sole heir. After Ami's death her late mother's advisors had ruled the planet as regents and they were now ready to return the crown to its rightful bearer. Ami faced a true dilemma, she was needed here on Terra to stand beside their Queen but at the same time her people demanded her return.

She asked the Royal Council to wait, to give her time to confer with Queen Serenity before she made her decision. The Ministers agreed and promised they would return in three months to escort her home.

Mina, like Ami had been her mother's only child and heir; yet unlike Ami, Mina had a cousin who had been sitting on her throne and was a pretender to her power. Mina had to go to Venus; she was left with no other choice. She left only after giving command to Lita and Hotaru, saying she would be back in a few months; she had to get her planet under control.

Lita received her own council members within days after Beryl's attack. In her former life, Lita or Frigga had been born on her throne. Her father, King Thor II had died two months before her birth thus leaving her mother, Queen Sif as Regent of Jupiter. Queen Serenity supported her cousin and protected both mother and child long after Frigga became a Senshi. To honor her cousin and late Queen, Sif returned the favor by ruling the Universe as regent as well as Jupiter as both awaited the return of both their rulers. Lita received a warm, loving letter from her mother, who impatiently awaited the day they were reunited.

Hotaru's visit was very different. She was a Goddess of Death and the Goddess Destruction and was the youngest daughter of the God of Death. With the vast empire of the Underworld to command, Saturn was just a small province that required almost none of Thanatos' attention. Her parents appeared to her in her home, their conversation was brief with little emotional exchange that left Hotaru feeling cold. But her eldest sister Ereshkigal was more affectionate in their reunion. Ereshkigal had been watching over her little sister's world as well as Hotaru's domain in their father's realm, which worried the young Queen since her sister was always at war with some other relative or another. Ereshkigal claimed that she was offended, but quickly shrugged off her hurt to inquire about her sister's love affairs, she was very interested in meeting Sam. Hotaru just rolled her eyes and turned away. Two things one could always count on when it came to Gods: They were either trying to kill each other or pry into one's personal life.

Usagi was very busy herself. Before Mina left for Venus, Usagi had to meet with the dignitaries from Pluto, Uranus, and Neptune. The Uranians showed up while she was in school and it took a lot of fast-talking to get them to wait for her at her home. Once they gone, she called Mina and Hotaru asking them to meet her at her house as soon as they last classes were over.

Darien had come with his sister, it was his planet, and it would have only been courteous of him to welcome them. Usagi had to give her parents credit just for how they were handling the situation. Here they were, two average terrans (they were getting used to word, but sometimes, there were slip ups.) whose niece was the Queen of Jupiter and their only daughter was not just the Queen of the Moon, she was also the ruler of the entire Universe. (They just did not want to think about her engagement to Darien, that was another headache altogether.)

When Usagi came home, she found the Uranian Ambassador and his underlings seated in her mother's living room having of all things tea while politely inquiring the Senshi's battle with Beryl and demon. The Ambassador rose immediately when he saw Usagi standing in the entryway, and then the seven Uranians genuflected before the High Queen of the Solar System; Usagi hid her annoyance with the formality as she waved them up. She was a bit peeved to have noted that her Senshi and fiancé had also bowed as she entered, but she chose not to mention it.

With the Uranian Crown Princess MIA, the Royal Ambassador then asked Darien if he could remain on the planet to help with the search of the Princess Theia.

The Neptunian and Plutonian Ambassadors wanted the same things, but they chose to remain on at the Lunar Palace.

After Mina left, the high schools had their breaks. Usagi and her mother went to New York to visit with the Rensselaer matriarch. Darien went off to Europe to visit his relatives, David chose to tag along, and they made plans to meet up with Frankie and others at his family's villa on the Spanish Riviera.

Sam opted out of the guys vacation to spend go to Tahiti with Hotaru and Lita. The month that should have gone by quietly was interrupted when an evil tree touched down in Barcelona. Neither the thing nor the two aliens living on it had time to set in roots before Darien and his generals eradicated it three days after it touched down and had a merry bon fire on the beach to celebrate.

After that, there was no excitement after that. Everyone came home, happy to see each other and just happy to be home. School started, everyone rushed about to get the classes they wanted, books, and in Usagi's case, she had to take physics and statistics. Both Darien and Ami offered to tutor her as she moaned and sobbed over her pitiful fate. She stopped when a pained looked crossed Ami's face, reminding both girls of Ami's impending departure that had the Moon Queen sobbing again, this time over losing Ami. It took her almost a week to calm down, but when she did, Usagi via Luna sent an injunction to the Mercurian government informing them that she needed Queen Saraswati with her as she began to establish her own government. The same went to Venus as Usagi refused to recognize anyone other than Freya as the ruler of that planet. If the insurgents, a.k.a. the current Venusian government under Lord Tammuz rule, persisted in denying Freya her throne, Silver Millennium was prepared to intercede and restore Freya's kingdom to her by force. Diplomatic and school duties aside, Usagi's year seemed to looking up for the moment.

Ami's sixteenth birthday came and went without a major catastrophe, if you could ignore Frankie and Yuuichirou all out brawl throughout the Hikawa Jinja courtyard. It had been a quiet celebration at the Hikawa Jinja that had been planned by Ilene and Ami's mother; Rei's grandfather graciously opened up the temple for the event, saying that they were all family now. The only problems came during the cleanup. Frankie was working off a new debt at the temple, not that he was fooling anyone, and Yuuichirou was still there.

The older novice had had his eye on Rei for little over a year now and her father had been encouraging the young man in his pursuit of Rei. Unfortunately for Yuuichirou, Rei has never shown any interest in him or anyone for that matter, still, the man held out, thinking that one-day Rei would give in and accept his suit. And before she had met Usagi and Ami, Rei had been thinking about it. Even though she did not want to be married, least of all to a guy eight years her senior, Rei kept a slightly open mind to that possibility to one day accepting Yuuichirou.

It was all her father could ask of her at the time. Yuuichirou came from a very prominent family in the Kobe region. While they were no Chibas (and very few were), the Isodas were a traditional and wealthy family, which was fine and dandy until Frankie expressed his interest in Rei. And now the girl had two wealthy suitors fighting (literally) for her hand. Her father was very happy.

By September Rei was sick of both of them. Since becoming a Senshi and then learning that she was the Princess of Mars and she had a brother, the last thing on the young miko's mind was marriage. She had told family that she was putting aside the issue of marriage until after she met her brother and Usagi's coronation and subsequent marriage to Darien. That was all she could handle at present and luckily her family respected her decision. Frankie, of course, declared himself the winner of Rei's affection while Yuuichirou vowed to continue with his suit. This led to a great deal of fighting, insults, and just out and out stupid, childish behavior.

There was a new bet going in the guys' house, this time it was how soon was Frankie going to kill Yuuichirou. All of Frankie's friends were behind him, Darien and Usagi said that Yuuichirou crept them out and Ami just thought he was a disgusting pervert (not that she would actually say that in public. Wink, wink.) Yet on her birthday, Ami did not mince words every time the letch (Yuuichirou) would try to slide up to Rei.

To Rei's horror and embarrassment, Round 76 took place in her grandfather's vegetable garden and it ended at the base of the main stairs. Frankie walked away a few cuts and scrapes, but Yuuichirou was not coming back at all.

With his main competition gone, Frankie now turned his attention on wooing the delicate Japanese rose he adored. Before leaving the temple that evening, Mina handed Rei a full can of pepper spray and told her to be on her guard when the Menace was about.

Speaking of Mina. Now that she had her throne back and was returned to her Queen's side, Mina felt it was time that she located her missing Senshi. But first, she and Darien had to deal with the problem of Dave.

Darien knew his sister loved him and that she would do anything for him, except share his affections with anyone other than their father, Usagi (whom they both adored, but in different ways), and his some of his friends and a couple of his relatives (the ones he liked and Mina could semi tolerate.) Unfortunately, Dave was not one of these people.

The only reason Darien was still living in the same house as his friends was because Mina knew and liked Sam and Drew. Eiji, she didn't much care for, but the other guys worried her sick. She shared her feelings with their father, who was even more reluctant to allow his son to move in with seven other older college age guys, and then Artemis Aino met Sam, Andrew, and David, the three eldest members of the house. The guys managed to impress Artemis, and that was saying a lot. Artemis found each young man to be responsible, each was serious about their educations and they all genuinely liked Darien, and after the background checks cleared, Artemis gave his consent over Mina's protest.

From that moment on Mina resolved to ruin David's life.

Why David? She felt he, more than anyone else in that little fraternity house, was trying to steal her brother from her. When Darien would come home or join her and their father for brunch, it was always "Dave did this—" or "Dave says that—" Jealousy ate at Mina relentlessly as Darien found a new hero for his life. When she found out that she couldn't ruin him, Mina began to shun him. That went well especially when the Kous showed up, it was like double whammy of social destruction until that sissy Seiya actually took the time to get to know David and the rest of the silly nincompoops and now they were all the best of friends.

But now, David was Darien's cousin. His cousin from his last life who had been more of a sibling to Endymion than distant family member and the two had been very close, just as Darien and Mina now were. It was going to take some time, this she knew yet in spite her outright loathing of David, Mina resolved to get along with the guy, who affectionately referred to Darien as little brother. (She was going to break David of that habit.)

In the spirit of the Senshi and Generals now accepting each other, Usagi decided that she wanted to have a barbeque. Everyone was up for it, except Lita who refused to cook. With a malicious grin and evil glint in her silver eyes, Usagi announced that she would cook. All of the guys fell to their knees before Lita, begging the culinary goddess to come to their aid and save their stomachs, yet Lita the cruel she-devil refused to relent.

Neither Ami nor Rei saw what the problem was, they all cooked when they stayed over at the Tsukinos. Even Molly was perplexed by their strange behavior. But to appease everyone, the other three girls offered to assist Usagi. The barbeque was planned for the weekend after Ami's birthday, since Trista would be back in town and Eiji would be back from visiting his sister in Hong Kong. (She was on her farewell concert tour that was to due end in Tokyo in mid-October the following year. Mina already had her tickets.)

That Friday after school, the four girls showed up at the guys house, each still in her school uniform and carrying a school bag. Usagi went straight up to Darien's room for his car keys and the credit card he was letting her use while the other girls sat around in the living room. Ami and Molly turned on the television to catch the end of their favorite anime (Usagi and Frankie had corrupted the genius' mind.) while Rei went to call her new friends in her school's festival committee.

Usagi and Molly were really excited about the First Street Girls' Academy/Azabu Prep. Academy festival and the excitement had spread to the other Senshi as well. Rei got off the phone just as Usagi was coming back; Rei had to be back at school by five-thirty, so Usagi had to give her a ride. That was fine by her friend, but she wouldn't be able to pick Rei up because her parents would go into conniptions if they found out she was driving Darien's car without a license.

At that moment, David came through the front door. He stopped, looked at each of them, and then stepped out to check the house number before he came back in.

"We should be charging you girls rent." He muttered as he stalked through the living room on his way towards the kitchen.

"Oh, God, what got your panties in bunch?" Usagi scowled after him.

"My girlfriend just dumped me." He called back.

"Mina told you she was no good as soon as she saw the freak." She hollered.

"Yeah, I wonder what makes her such an authority on love anyway considering she can't hook up with anyone." He said sarcastically as he came back with unopened bottled of apple juice.

"She is granddaughter of Aphrodite and her mother was Inanna and Min herself is a goddess of love." Ami told him with a shrug.

"How about the Goddess of Psychosis," He snorted.

"Yeah, yeah, you men are all the same." Usagi grabbed him by the arm and started pulling him towards the door. "You say you don't need a woman, but you always cry when you don't have one."

"Hey," he cried as the little ball of energy started dragging him towards the front door. "What are you doing?"

"Rei needs to be dropped off at school in two hours and then she's going to need a ride." Usagi said matter-of-factly.

"I'm not a taxi."

"Oh, just shut up." She shoved Darien's keys into his hands as Molly opened the front door. "You're going to help us shop for the stuff for my barbeque and you are going to forget about that tramp that was all over my man." She ordered, "Do I make myself clear, Dave."

Dave didn't know whether to laugh or what. "You know Beryl's been dead for two months."

"Don't be a smart ass," she warned him. "Just get in the car and chauffer us about."

"That's not in my job description, your Majesty."

"It is now." Ami told him. "Obey the Queen or you might get hurt."

It did hurt. David lay on the middle of the parking lot outside of the super market, staring up at the sky. Or he thought it was the sky.

The sky blinked. Cotton candy pink clouds danced before his eyes…Wait a second, since when could the sky blink.

As he began to puzzle this mystery out, Dave heard his name and then something was removed from his chest. He moved to sit up, Ami and Molly were at his side, trying (on Molly's part) to lift him up. Ami easily had him on his feet and set to right immediately. He had forgotten how strong the Senshi were beneath their Terran facades. Dave looked to where Usagi and Rei stood beside the filled grocery cart and he did a double take.

"That kid—" Quickly, Dave looked up at the sky, half afraid that something else might fall and flatten him again.

"We have to get her out of here." He heard Rei saying. Usagi was nodding her ascent. "Usagi—"

"Let's get everything and David in the car." Usagi then directed her attention to Molly and she gestured for the girl to come over. Usagi handed the little girl over to her best friend and hurriedly led them to the car, putting both in the backseat. "Molly, get my phone and call Mina. She's in my phone book. Tell her I'm going home right now and that she and Hotaru need to be there before I am."

"But Usagi—" Molly started to protest.

"I don't have time to argue," Usagi almost snapped her head off. Abashed, Usagi looked away. She had no reason to be angry with Molly; "I'm sorry, Moll." She said contritely. "I didn't mean to snap at you." When she turned back to her friend, all the carefree joy and happiness was gone from Usagi's face, leaving a cold mask of regal authority. "But my realm has just been invaded."

Let's do a little recap before we begin.

Serena _(_Usagi to everyone else, Buns to Darien) Rensselaer -Tsukino- 16 (Sailor Moon) Serenity, Queen of Silver Millennium and the Silver Alliance.

Darien Mamoru Chiba-Shields-17 (Tuxedo Kamen) Prince Endymion of Terra

_The Imperial Court of Selene_

Anne Marie (Ami) Mizuno-16 (Sailor Mercury) Saraswati, Queen of Mercury

Rei Hino-16 (Sailor Mars) Brighid, Princess of Mars

Lindsey Brita (Lita) Rensselaer-Kino -18 (Sailor Jupiter) Frigga, Queen of Jupiter

Wilhelmina (Mina) Aino -19 (Sailor Venus) Freyja, Queen of Venus

Hotaru Tomoe-19 (Sailor Saturn) Persephone, Queen of Saturn

Anastasia (Alex) Larisa Alexandrova-18 (Sailor Uranus) Theia, Princess of Uranus (she's going to rule, too.)

Trista Meiou-21 (Sailor Pluto) Neti-Erra, Queen of Pluto

_The Four Kings of Terra_

David Rothschild-19 (Kunzite) Head General and Endy's cousin

Francisco (Frankie) Jaen Alvarez de la Santa Maria del Toro-18 (Jadeite)

Jiro Satoshi-Carter-19 (Nephrite)

Joshua Anderson-17 (Zoisite)

**_Extras:_**

Luna, Prime Minister of Silver Millennium

Artemis Aino, father of Mina and Darien

Andrew, best friend of the guys and medic

Eiji Kaiou (he was Greg, but now he is Michiru's brother.) the guys' other roommate

Samuel Shingo Rensselaer-Tsukino. Usagi's big brother and Hotaru's boyfriend

Kenji Tsukino- The very understanding father who likes to rag on Darien

Ilene Rensselaer-Tsukino. She ain't the happy homemaker, but she is happy.

Dr. Marie Mizuno. Ami's Mom and the Senshi's doctor

Grandpa Hino. He's a super sweet guy who only wants the best for his granddaughter.

Princess Serenity (the name here is Serena not Rini) of Silver Millennium, the Silver Alliance, and Terra.

Ares, King of Mars (was Umino but will now be known as Lugh and Yukio.)

_…and the Dark Moon Family with the Wiseman_

By the way, I don't own Sailor Moon; I'm just a fan.

Read, enjoy, and review.


	10. The Dark Moon Family: Chapter II

**Two**

**1**

The Senshi were on high alert by the time Usagi entered her house. Mina had been in

contact with the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Defense after she received Molly's frantic telephone call. There had been several temporal disturbances since the early hours of morning. Without the present incarnation of the Senshi of Pluto to decipher them or stabilize the disturbances, the gates to the Underworld and patches throughout Time were vulnerable as was the entire Realm.

Mina was on the verge of awaking the Senshi of Pluto wherever she was; she already had Hotaru, Lita, and Rei searching for her as well Neptune and Uranus. The last thing she wanted to deal with a new enemy that had decided Terra looked like a nice place to sit and conquer.

When Usagi came inside, Molly was close behind her and in her arms was a blue and pink bundle that Mina did not have a chance to identify. Usagi did not stop to talk to her Commander; She just hurried her friend up to her bedroom. Ami, Rei, and Dave followed soon after, each with their arms loaded down with bags. Mina sent Lita and Hotaru after Usagi while she went to question the other two Senshi.

Everyone stopped everything they had been doing when they felt the Queen using her crystal. Rei quickly dropped her bags on the closest counter top and then dropped to her knees with her hands folded before her as she started chanting. Red and dark purple magic leapt off her as her aura bled throughout about the house, camouflaging her Queen's pure energies.

"What's going on?" Mina demanded as she helped Ami put away the groceries.

Dave tore his eyes from the still kneeling Rei, his eyes wide in shock as the magic continued to pour off the girl. "I—" he stammered.

Mina looked at him as if he was a simpleton. Ami cleared her throat to gain Mina's attention.

"Someone or something is interfering with one of the Gates guarded by Neti."

The two startled by Dave's sudden laughter. "Netty?" He snickered.

"Ne-ti." Mina enunciated. "Princess Neti- Erra, Guardian of Time and the Underworld. She is Persephone's second in command. And if were you, I wouldn't laugh at someone with the power to undo my existence with the turn of her staff."

"If she is so powerful why is she missing?" He asked curiously.

"She died dumb ass." Mina spat. "Where have you been for the last seven months?" She shook her head and dismissed him from her thoughts as turned back to Ami. "I am going to need you to begin a more aggressive search for Neti-Erra, Anahita, and Theia."

"I will find them by tomorrow morning." Ami assured her.

"Good." Mina clapped her hands in satisfaction. "Now what fell on this loser's head?"

"A child." Usagi told her. She swept in the room with Hotaru at her side. "More specifically, my child, from the future."

"Yours?" Dave shrieked then he asked, "Whose it father?" He was going to string up the bastard. And he was going to castrate him, he added to the thought.

Usagi shot him a look that promised pain. "Don't get cute, Kunzite. I'm not in the mood."

He shrugged off her foul temper, "Just because you're pissed off doesn't mean you get to take it out on me, Blondie. I need to know what the going on and how it will effect Darien."

Rather deliberately, Usagi turned her back on him. She ignored the meditating Rei; she could feel the other's girl's magic flowing over the house, hiding Usagi's own power by pulling up every Terran spirit force she could gather.

"Min, I want answers." Usagi said, her voice sounded weary even her own ears.

Hotaru and Mina exchanged a look, before the golden warrior turned to their Queen. "The seers on Pluto felt a vibration around three a.m., Tokyo time." The older blonde girl reported. "I was contacted an hour later by the Minister of the Interior at Silver Millennium. His office was at a lost as to how something had managed to survive the gates or how it entered the System. I was teleported to Palace for a briefing and then I returned to Terra. Once I was here, I telephoned Persephone and Frigga to bring them up to speed on the disturbance and have had them working with our colleagues back at the palace, I also put a rush on finding Neti."

Usagi had said nothing through the brief monologue. An eerie calmness seemed that have fallen about the girl as she moved about her mother's kitchen. When Mina had finished, Usagi, who had now donned an apron, was chopping freshly washed herbs for a marinade.

"What are you doing to find Neti?" she asked as she dropped a handful of parsley into Lita's beloved food processor.

"I just put Saraswati on it," Mina informed her Queen. "She is confident that she will have the remaining Senshi's identities by morning."

Usagi glanced at Ami inquiringly. "Are you certain you can do this?"

Ami nodded, "I am confident in my abilities, Usagi-chan." She flashed a superior grin that caused the other girl to laugh. "Usagi, doesn't that recipe call for olive oil?" She asked worriedly when Usagi reached for the canola oil.

"And risk Lita's wraith?" She cried in horror. "If it's all the same to you, I would rather keep on living, thank you very much."

"Coward." Rei's mocking voice came from the front of the counter.

"Frankie's love slave." Usagi smirked.

"Eww, what are you trying to do? Scar me mentally for life or curse me?" The _miko _demanded,

"You are supposed to be helping us?" Ami reminded their friend. Her voice slightly muffled due to fact that she was currently enjoying a bag of crisps Mina a left on the counter.

Usagi looked her friend up and down and she snorted. "What are you doing? Man, if I needed someone to stand around eating crisps, I would have called Darien."

"I'm hungry." Ami complained.

"Yeah, yeah," Usagi muttered sarcastically. "Mom left her credit card beside the telephone; Go order us some dinner, _Helper_."

Ami popped another crisp into her mouth as she ambled over to the kitchen's phone. "Who all is staying?"

"You, Moll, Rei's coming back after her thing at school, and the kid."

"Burgers?" Ami suggested.

Usagi thought for a moment, then she nodded, "Yeah. Molly's vegetarian, so you have to get her a Garden burger—ooh, no. Get her the portabella sandwich with the works and Provolone cheese. Oh, man those things are good."

"Is that what you want?" Ami grinned at Usagi's obvious affections for food.

"Naw, I just want a burger with the works and plenty of fries."

"I'll have the same as Molly." Rei said as she rose from the floor. "Usagi, I have the concealing spell in place. It will remain active until remove your spell."

"So the kid is hidden?"

Rei nodded.

"Alright. Then you should get out of here." They leaned across the counter and touched cheeks.

"I'll be back as so as this meeting is over with." Rei said as she walked over to Ami.

"Have fun," Ami told her as they also said hugged.

"Hey, if you want the Menace off your back, try to hook up with someone from Abuzu." Mina smiled at the Martian Senshi. "One of Darien's friends is a student there and he on the Abuzu Prep's Festival committee."

The other Senshi burst out laughing at their friend's obvious discomfort.

"C'mon, David," Rei said gruffly as she stalked out of the kitchen. "I am going to be late if we do not hurry."

"Flashing eyes, heighten color about the face," Hotaru laughed, "Me thinks the lady—"

"None of you are my friends." Rei hollered over her shoulder.

"We love you, too, sweetie." Mina called to her.

"Bite me."

"I told you before, you should let Frankie do that." Usagi shouted back.

**2**

Around eight of clock, the four girls were seated around kitchen table, having a late supper since they decided to wait for Rei to return. Hours before, Usagi had given her little house guest a bath and fed her some of Lita's homemade Minestrone soup before exhaustion over took the child and she passed out in Usagi's arms.

The kid, Serena, was the current topic of their conversation. Usagi had managed to get the kid's name (Serenity Gaia Milena Shields), her age. She had just turned four a few months ago. The little girl proudly told Usagi that she shared her mother's birthday, but that happiness faded just as she remembered that she wasn't with her mother.

Usagi had put the child in her bed and sat with her until Rei returned.

She called Darien before Dave could talk to him. She was exhausted and as much as she loved Darien, she did not want him coming over making a big ta-do about the situation. He could do that tomorrow, after she had rested and gotten the answers she wanted.

When she came down to the kitchen, Usagi found her two friends at the kitchen sink. Molly was staring in open mouth amazement at Ami who held her hands over the frozen water in the sink. Ami's eyes were glowing an icy blue and her lips were moving silently as she stared unseeingly ahead.

The doorbell rang, Usagi went to answer it; She was signing for dinner when Dave drove up and let Rei out. Rei went up the guest room to put her school bag down then check in on the little girl for Usagi.

"What are you going to do with her?" Molly asked her best friend around a mouth full of fries.

"Keep her with me until we can send her back to where she belongs." Usagi dipped a couple fries in the small pool of ketchup on her plate. "Ames, you having any luck with tracking Neti?"

"Some," Ami admitted as she yawned behind her right hand. "I would have more success had she been closer to water."

Once again, Molly was staring at the raven-haired genius in shock and awe. "You can find people through water?" She asked in awe.

Ami flicked her eyes in Molly's direction before she turned back to her meal. "Water and ice are my elements to control. I can feel anything and everything it touches."

"Okay, so how are you looking for this Neti person?" The red headed girl asked.

"It is very simple, for me, water exist in all forms and it is constantly moving. Anything it touches, I feel." Ami clarified before either of her two friends could comment. "It's also distracting since you Terrans are mostly water."

"What are you?"

"Not water." Ami told her.

"Then what?"

"Not water."

"Tell me." She begged.

"No."

Molly turned to Usagi for help, the blonde blew her off, "C'mon, Usagi. Don't you want to know what she's made of?"

"I know what her body is composed of." Usagi winked at her. "Ames, can you sense if Neti is moving or anything?"

Ami closed her eyes briefly before answering her friend. "She is covering a great distance very fast."

"Maybe she's in a car?" Molly suggested. "Or a bus?"

Inspiration stuck Usagi at that moment. "I know how I can help you." Before anyone could speak, Usagi was up and around the table and she touched her hands to Ami's temples. When Ami tried to turn around and ask her what she was doing, Ami was shocked to find that she could not move much less speak. Usagi had tapped into her cerebral cortex and Ami could feel her poking around in there.

_"Just relax, Ami," she felt Usagi's comforting presence in her mind. "I am just going to look about for a bit."_

Rei and Molly shared a look then turned back to the faintly glowing girls. Ami was staring ahead with unseeing eyes.

Usagi stood behind her with her eyes closed, her head tilted back slightly. Her faint touch raced along Ami's awareness, going deeper as she searched for the bond she knew was there.

_ "What is it?" Ami asked as she followed the blond girl through her mind._

_ A deep frown marred Usagi's delicate features, "Have you ever noticed that you guys rarely speak to each other?" She asked unexpectedly._

_ Incomprehension showed on Ami's features as she stared at her friend. "I don't know what you mean—"_

_ "I mean, you my friend and Senshi, do not speak to the others."_

_ "That is not so, we converse all the time."_

_ Usagi shook her head, "Not necessarily with words." She smiled reassuringly at her. "It only means that you are comfortable with this that never noticed it. And I am guessing, Venus and the others have never noticed it either."_

_ "What is it?" Ami asked her again._

_ After a moment, Usagi whispered almost distantly, "Your connection with the others."_

_ "Why mine?"_

_ "Next to Min, you have the second strongest connection to all the other Senshi. You are the Intelligence and Communications Officer. Everyone pass information on to you and you relayed it to Venus and vice versa. Ah, there. I found them."_

_Shocked in silence Ami could only stare at the girl beside her in wonderment. How different her friend was now than when they had first met. Usagi had always been confident in herself, not to mention she was brave, loyal, and open towards everyone. Ami admitted that she had been a bit envious of her petite friend, for in her personality, Usagi was everything Ami wished that she could have been. Of course, that was before she really came to know Usagi and in turn discovered herself. _

_Usagi had shown Ami that she, too possessed the same confidence, the furious bravery, and intense loyalty that defined not only Usagi, but all of them. Usagi was just the epitome of it all. Now, now she was so much more than that. Never again could her first friend ever go back to girl she once was._

_ Looking at the brilliant person standing beside her reminded Ami of difference that separated them._

_ "I have awaken the bond inside of you," Usagi was saying. "Soon, you will know the location of every Senshi and guardian in this System." She turned to face Ami, her insubstantial hands moving to cup the Mercurian warrior's face. "Prepare yourself," she sounded excited, "This is gonna better than anything you've ever felt in your life."_

_ Without warning, Ami threw her head back, her mouth parted in silent scream while a wild current of information rushed through her brain. It was like Usagi has jacked into her head, pouring in all the knowledge of the about life, the planets, and stars; force feeding information into her hurting mind until it felt as it was going to explode. It did not stop, her conscience swelled and when it seemed as if she could accept no more, something in her mind clicked. The pain vanished, and flow of information into her head seemed now not to be enough. _

_ A hunger awoke her mind now, which now felt starved for learning. It lusted for knowledge and longed for everything that she was knew in her former life. Oh, but should something as inconsequential as death deny her of what she wanted? The wisdom and knowledge she possessed once before was still there, imprinted on her soul just like her destiny as a Senshi._

_ She shrugged off Usagi's hands and reached out herself for what she knew was there and she found it. It crashed through her, overwhelming her, but only for a moment. Her thirsty mind opened up and swallowed all that her soul had to give including her past life._

Outside, Usagi staggered back and would have fallen to the kitchen floor had Rei not been quick enough to catch her.

"Molly," the miko said sharply, "get a damp cloth and a glass of water. Usagi! Usagi, can you hear me?" She demanded as she tapped the sides of the girl's face. "Usagi?"

Molly rushed back to them, she handed Rei the glass as she tried pressed a damp dishtowel to Usagi's brow. The smaller girl gently pushed Molly's hand away, "I'm alright, guys." She assured them, but her voice sounded rusty and hollow. Usagi pushed herself in a seated position, she moved to stand, but her legs were trembling causing Usagi to fall back against Rei.

"Oh, boy." She panted, "I do not want to do that again." She looked up them and smiled wearily. "You guys think you can help me off the floor."

With sheepish grins and lots of laughter, that was done. Usagi slumped down in her chair and threw her head back. Lord, she wondered what possessed her to do what she had done. Creating that protection spell around her house and the kid had almost wiped her out. This time, she had pushed her already tired body and in the process, she drained her own energy. She could feel the Terran gravity pulling on her, nor did it help that she felt as if she were enchased in a suit of lead for her clothes were also weighing her down.

"God, Usagi," Molly looked worriedly at her friend, "Do we need to call a doctor or something?"

She tried to shake her head, but that was an effort at that moment, "I'll be fine. I just need to rest and…" She was cut off as Ami started to cough and gasp for air. Usagi struggled to rise and help her friend.

Rei had hurried over to Ami, but the other girl had stumbled to her feet and ran to the kitchen sink where she attached herself to the faucet. The other three girls watched in fascination as Ami gorged herself on water for five minutes. When she was done, Ami sank to the floor groaning as like she was in pain.

At the table Usagi started to giggle and snorted.

Ami levered herself off the floor long enough to point and laugh at her friend. Caught between the hilarious pair, Rei just threw up her hands and stomped out of the kitchen.

"Rei," Molly called as she hopped up and raced after the _miko_. "You can't leave me in here with them."

**o.O.o**

Serena awoke with a start. She looked about, somewhat disoriented as she pushed her hair back from her face. Wait a second this wasn't her hair—Furthermore, this wasn't her bed. The little girl pushed the long shimmering strands away from her as she sat up in the small bed and looked about at the foreign room and the strange shirt she had been sleeping in.

She was in a bed with two other girls; One had long, shining white hair just like her mother's and the other one had short, blue black hair that resembled her father's. The one with the blonde hair rolled onto her back and yawned as she rubbed the heels of her hands into her tired eyes.

"Serena?" The blonde said sleepily. She reached out grabbing a brass clock and bleary stared at it for a moment. "God, kid, do you normally get up this—"

The little girl stared down at her before she launched herself Usagi crying, "Mama."

Usagi grunted loudly as she went tumbling from the bed in a flurry of hair, blankets, and pillows. Usagi lay on the floor, staring up at the ceiling in a daze; Serena had pushed herself up and was now sitting on Usagi's stomach. The kid had a big grin on her cute face as she beamed down at her mother's younger self.

Back on the bed, Ami rolled over, groping for the covers but she came up empty. "Usagi, you hog…"

Usagi draped her right arm over her eyes and groaned, "Shut up, Ami."

"Mama," Serena tried to remove Usagi's arm, "I'm hungry."

"Mama." Ami chortled. She leaned over the side of the bed, a big goofy grin on her face as she smacked Usagi on the ankle. "What are you making for breakfast, _Mama_?"

"Go to hell, Ames." She grumbled.

"Shouldn't you watch your mouth?"

She made an obscene gesture with her left hand but she did sit up, Serena scrambled off her, but she bouncing around Usagi like bunny. The two older girls cringed in disgust.

"That's not right." Ami muttered. She reached down for the blankets only to have them snatched away, she protested when Usagi threw the bedclothes across the room, but the girl wasn't listening.

"If I gotta be up at—" Usagi glanced at the clock on her desk, "—eight o'clock in the morning, you will be too. In fact—"

"No!" Ami cried, she almost fell off the bed in her hast to reach her friend.

Usagi started laughing as she raced out the room with Ami close on her tail. Slowly, Serena followed the two laughing girls down stairs.

An hour later, Lita came down stairs still dressed in her pajamas. She was yawning as she pulled her long hair up in to a loose bun and clipped it. She saw the three sitting in the family room watching anime and eating ice cream.

"I'm making waffles," she told them.

"Strawberry?" Usagi asked absently.

"Blueberry?" Ami looked down into half-empty container pocking around with her spoon.

"Just plain Belgian." She told them.

"No, Kaiba!" Usagi wailed heartbroken. "Yuugi's a punk with MPD. That little freak can't win all the time."

Ami looked at her in disgust. "It's just a cartoon."

"Shut your blasphemous mouth, Mizuno."

"You are never getting that game back."

"I will tear up your PS3 if you don't give me back my game." Usagi growled menacingly.

"Who wants bacon?" Lita hollered over them, drowning the two bickering girls out.

The two hopped up and rushed in the kitchen, once again living Serena to follow them.

"You better help me out," Lita grumbled, "I'm not feeding you people for free."

**3**

The morning started had off bad (she had woken up and was tackled before breakfast) and the rest of the morning had taken on a slightly normal bend, and that was weird. After breakfast, Lita went out back and set up the grill for Usagi. While she was doing this, Rei and Molly came down, dressed, chipper, and eager to start the day. Usagi and Ami went upstairs to clean up. When they came down, Rei and Molly had helped Lita load the dishwasher and wipe off the counters. Serena was sitting on a counter top, munching a large strawberry that Molly had given to her.

Usagi had the clothes the little girl had worn the day before in her arms as she walked over to the girl and scooped her up.

"Lita, I know you said you didn't want to cook, but I gotta take Sere shopping." She told her cousin.

"Sere?" Lita looked at her skeptically.

Usagi shrugged her shoulders as she began to dress the child. "Yeah, she doesn't like Chibi-Usagi, Reenie, or Bunny." She leaned forward to kiss the tip of the little girl's pixie nose. "I can't believe you have pink hair." She laughed as the child wrinkled up her nose.

"Pink is my favorite color," Serena told her.

"At least it's a dye," Ami told them as she pointed out Serena's pale strawberry blonde roots.

"That hair colour must be a genetic flaw." Usagi laughed as Lita gave her the finger.

"Fine," Lita told her, "You need money?"

Usagi shook her head, "I still have the money that I got from selling that stuff Luna sent to me."

"Oh, God," Lita laughed, "You better pray Darien never finds out about your stash."

"Please, I'm just selling stuff I can't use. I mean what use do I have loose gems and gold coins?" Usagi scoffed. She looked down at the little girl and smiled proudly. "My baby girl is so pretty!" She crowed. "Aren't you so pretty?"

Rei had been in the process of drinking a glass of water only to spit it out. Molly fell on her butt laughing

"Usagi, please." Ami muttered. "That's sickening."

Usagi ignored them. She turned to her cousin and flashed her most pathetic, watery-eyed, lip trembling puppy-dog face. Lita drew back in fright.

"Li, please, let me borrow your jeep?" Usagi begged. "Please!"

"Oh, God," Lita turned her back her. That damned look always got her. "My keys are in the living room. Drive carefully and put gas in the tank."

Usagi bounded over to her and hugged her tight. "Thanks, Li. I should be back in two hours." She promised.

A slight smile graced Lita's features as she returned the young girl's embrace. "Be careful, knucklehead." She ruffled Usagi's pale bangs before giving her a gentle shove. "Who are you taking with you?"

Rei threw a dishtowel at Ami, she gestured for Ami to volunteer. Ami was shaking her head no.

"Sam and Frankie were supposed to be stopping by in a few minutes." Lita said. Upon hearing that, Rei happily volunteered.

As soon as they pulled out onto the street, Usagi swore.

"What's wrong?" Rei asked.

"Damn that Lita," the irritated blonde cried, "She knew she had no gas. What more she had the balls to tell me to put some in. Well, I'm going to show her. Freaking little—"

"Usagi-chan," Rei said seriously, "What are you going to do with this child?"

Usagi glanced into the review mirror and smiled at the pretty girl. "She's my daughter, Rei. Something happened that caused her to be here and until I find out what, I'm keeping her with me." A little sigh escaped her then, "I already spoke to my parents, and we are going to talk about this situation some more after they come home today."

"What did they say?"

A bitter smile crossed Usagi's lips as remembered her parents' reactions from their phone conversation last night.. "They are not happy with my decision but they understand and respect it."

"And that means…?"

"That means Serena stays with me, I am responsible for her well-being until she goes home."

"Are you certain you want this added responsibility?" Rei asked softly.

A small frown marred Usagi's brow. "What other choice do I have?" She glanced at her guardian and advisor, "She came here seeking my help. I cannot turn her away."

"You are right, but I want you to remember you are not alone, Serenity." Rei smiled. "I will help out as much as I can and I know the others will too."

"Thanks. I know I will be taking you up on your offer. We can't forget Darien in all of this."

Rei glanced back the little girl and smiled. "No, we cannot." She turned around and studied Usagi's profile. There was a new maturity in the other girl's face. A maturity and strength that was never there before and it seemed make Usagi older than her fifteen years.

Usagi met Rei's stare and she smiled at her. "Don't worry," she reached for one of Rei's hands. "I will be alright." She told her, "We all will."

Shortly after Usagi and Rei had left with Serena, people started to arrive.

Sam did show up, but Frankie was not with him. Sam had gone to the airport to meet his parents and had taken Hotaru with him.

On the drive, Hotaru had answered all of the Tsukinos questions about the little girl that Usagi through was hers and Darien's. Hotaru assured them that the child was indeed the Queen's but she was from the future. That was where Kenji and Sam seemed lost therefore Hotaru had to tell them about the missing Sailor Pluto. She was the only one who could have sent Serena to the past and take the child back to her proper time.

Ilene still wanted to talk to her daughter about this situation; it wasn't going to be easy for any of them, let alone Usagi since she wanted to keep the child.

Soon after, David and Jiro showed up. They came to help set up the picnic tables and chairs and Josh came with Seiya and Yaten Kou. They brought two twenty-gallon trashcans filled with ice. Soda was in one and beer in the other. Darien called to say he was coming by later; his dad was in town, Ilene quickly extended an invitation to his father, after some prodding, Artemis gave in and agreed to come.

Usagi returned, while she carried her purchases inside, Rei helped Serena out of the back seat. She was on her way inside when she heard someone call out her name.

Rei turned around and smiled at the guy trotting up the walkway. "Asanuma-san," she said politely once he reached her and Serena. "What are you doing here?"

"Darien invited me," he replied with a sheepish grin. "He said be here early to help out if I wanted to eat."

Rei did not know why, but the way he was looking at her was causing to feel nervous. Not nervous in a panic, frighten way, but a shy, sort of self-conscious way that caused a slight blush to touch her cheeks.

She glanced down quickly just as he looked away. An awkward silence fell between them as they tried not to look at each other.

"Hino-san…"

"Asanuma-san…" They said almost together. They met each other's gaze and both started to laugh.

Asanuma stared down at her, looking into her amethyst eyes and he felt his shyness dissipate. "Hino-san, I was wondering, if you had some time free—maybe tomorrow—I was wondering if you would like to go—ah, join me at the Fruit Pallor and maybe see a movie?" he finished quietly.

Incredulous disbelief was evident on her face. This was the first time a guy was actually asking her out, on date. The first thought to cross her mind was to refuse him. She had enough trouble dealing with Frankie and after that horrid mess with Yuuichirou the last thing she wanted was to have another male in her life.

That was why she was so surprised to hear herself saying yes.

"You will?" Asanuma cried. His dark brown eyes were alight with joy that Rei felt awful at the thought of resending her answer. "Oh, this is great!" He grabbed her hands in his and he turned the full effect of his smile on her. "I'll pick you at your temple at five?"

Rei felt a tight grin stretch out on her face as she nodded, committing herself to this date.

"Cool." With a shock, Asanuma remembered why he came to Tsukinos in the first place. "Yeah, well, I guess I should get out back and help with the—"

"_Hai_," she said weakly.

Gently, he let her hands trail from his as he started to step around Rei and the little girl he had just noticed. "Well, I'll see you inside?" He said with a goofy grin that was almost endearing.

Rei nodded. She waved him inside. When he was gone, Rei looked down at the little girl who was looking up at Rei inquiringly.

"Rei-chan, is that your boyfriend?"

An expression of pure horror crossed the _miko's_ face as well as a heavy blush. "No, Serena. He's not my boyfriend, we're just friends." She held her hand out to the little girl. "Let's get you inside for lunch."

Serena took her hand and Rei led her inside. As they reached the door, they saw Usagi standing there. Usagi held her arms out of the little girl who ran to her without hesitation. Rei smiled at the loving sight yet she was unaware of the wistful little sigh that escaped her once Usagi had turned away.

"Hey, Rei," Ami called from the front room, bringing her out of her thoughts. "Come in and join us, Lita is making brownies and we're all helping."

All unhappy thoughts fled as Rei went to join her friends. She wondered if Lita would make those special brownies with the white chocolate chips that she loved. She grimaced, of course she would have to help with the cleanup, but she didn't mind since all her friends would be helping as well.

Rei hurried over to Ami's side and linked their arms. "_Oi_, Li-chan, you think you will make a batch of white chocolate chip brownies?" She called merrily as she pulled Ami towards the kitchen.


	11. The Dark Moon Family: Chapter III

**Three**

**1**

A week had passed since Serena's arrival and there was no news about their enemy. Neti-Erra, well Trista for the less formal, had determined that their enemy was in their present time. Where? She did not know but she working on it.

That was not what either Usa or Mina wanted to here but it was what they had to go on for the time being. The High Council wanted Usa to leave Terra for the safety of the Lunar palace and several of her Senshi expressed similar sentiments, Usa could understand their fear and worries but she would not leave. There was something hiding out in Usa's kingdom and it was threatening her in both the present and the future and some how it was involved with Terra. She wanted this threat eliminated and she wanted it done now.

Ami and Trista got to work on it immediately while Mina went to coax Alex (aka Sailor Uranus) out of the woods. Mina had Rei and her grandfather before the Scared Fire everyday as they stepped up the search for the enemy.

While they were waiting for the enemy's first move, and when she had a spare moment, Usa was indulging in being a parent. She adored Serena. Once the child felt secure, she lavished affection and showed that she was a very bright, loving, curious little girl. She could light up a room with her smile and made Usa laugh on her lowest days. She seemed to brighten up the entire Tsukino household as everyone just seemed to have fallen in love with her.

There was only one person who did not fall the little girl tricks. Darien initially had a bad reaction when he first met Serena. In fact he though the child was evil (she had pink hair.) He tried to get the others to see his point of view only to be cuffed by both Mina and David for his immature attitude.

It didn't help his cause with Usagi, who could not understand his jealously. He did a lot sulking and pouting whenever Usa spent too much time with the annoying little girl. Darien didn't like the fact that the kid was always on his bunny when he wanted to be on her (not in the way that would have Kenji Tsukino wanting to castrate him). Darien just wanted to the focus of Usagi's attention, you know, have things go back to the way they were before that little nuisance crashed landed on Dave's head.

For six days, Darien had whined to anyone who would listen to him. He begged his friends to watch the kid for extended periods of time so he could take up what free Usagi had and he threw a couple fits when Usagi wanted that _thing_ to accompany them on those rare outings. What did he get for his efforts? His friends called him spoiled and selfish, the child was his after all. Even his sister wouldn't take his side on this. But what was worst than that he so-called friends could say or do--Usagi had given him an ultimatum.

Reluctantly, Darien surrendered to her demands. (He had bitched and moaned about it for a good twenty minutes before he slunk over to the Arcade with his tail between his legs and surrendered his manhood to the girl he loved. _It just goes to show who was going to wear the pants in that family_.) To prove that he harbored no ill will towards the little brat—the sweet face, little angel with the demonic hair—Darien offered to watch the kid that following Saturday while Usagi met with the Neptunian Ambassador and caught up on her school work.

The very grateful Usagi promised that to spend all of Sunday with Darien, doing everything he wanted as compensation for him taking care of Serena that afternoon and proceeded in making he feel like a cad. Before this mess had happened, no one could have ever accused Darien of being a neglectful boyfriend. He had always prided himself on being intuitive to Usagi's needs and emotions. But while sitting on her bed after succeeding in badgering Usagi into giving up this day to make time for him, Darien for the first time saw how overworked his bunny was. He didn't like what he saw and was somewhat hurt that Usagi had not shared some of the burden with him. But he promised to make it up to her and he would by earning his day with his bunny.

When Saturday finally rolled around Darien surprised the never early risers at the Tsukinos by showing up before eight. A sleep-eyed and grouchy Kenji let Darien in and sent death glares at the youth's back as he raced upstairs to Usagi's room.

There was a scream, a crash, and Darien's startled oath that made Kenji grin, which turned into a full fledged smile when Darien came downstairs fifteen minutes later sporting a hand print on his left cheek. In his arms he carried the still sleeping Serena and had a pink and white little bag slung over his left arm. Kenji stood by the door feeling a bit more human as he sipped his morning cup of coffee. He gave Darien a mock salute and slammed the door behind his future son-in-law and granddaughter.

Darien carried the sleeping brat to his car and placed her in the back seat then draped someone's jacket over her. Last night he had loaned his car out to Jiro who went to help Lita and Alex do something at their sorority and apparently his friend had picked up more than the two girls. The result was that Darien spent the better part of thirty minutes cleaning out his car.

From the Tsukinos' it was off to breakfast with his father and sister. Artemis was surprised to meet his granddaughter from the future, but he quickly warmed up to the child. And much to Darien's disgust, the kid actually took a shine to his father. After breakfast, the small family took in a couple rounds of golf while Serena played in the club house daycare. The intrepid group returned from battling the links to have lunch before calling it a day. Mina was meeting with Dave much to the surprise of her father and brother. She angrily rebuked all of her brother's insinuation that her relationship with Dave was becoming civil.

She still wanted David dead or something worst, but for the moment she needed his help in preparing an exit strategy for a mass exodus of Terra if it came down to it, but that was not something that Darien needed to know about right now. After they all said their good byes and Artemis managed to get Darien to agree to having dinner with him sometime during the week and to bring Usa and her family with him, Darien and Serena were on their way.

With half of the day gone and his spirits somewhat lighten, Darien decided to take the kid to now kid friendly and mutated creature free park until it was time to feed her again. A few hours of that, a very happy Serena declared that she was hungry. As they left the park, Serena chatted on and on about the new friends she had made and asked if they could come again the next day so she could play with them.

As much as he wanted to deny it, Darien found that he was actually enjoying his time with the kid. Sure the thing was trying to steal his woman's affections from him, but there was something about the child that made her special that made he like her a bit more. (He was now at acceptance.) Darien was mulling over these new thought as he watched the kid but a starving wolverine to shame. Several times he had to remind her to chew. She had already inhaled three hotdogs (just the wiener with catsup. Darien shuddered) and she was scarffing down a basket of fries and a large glass of milk at a speed that would have made her mama proud.

Andrew made his way to their booth just as Serena gulped down the last fry. He ruffled the little girl's hair affectionately and smiled down at her. She was really a cute kid, sweet as honey and just as adorable as Usagi was.

"Serena, you want an ice cone?" Drew asked her.

Before Serena could respond with a very enthusiastic yes, Darien said, "Usa said fruit only."

Serena started to protest but something else outside drew her attention to the large shop windows.

Hearing that almost caused Drew to have a heart attack. Such a thing coming from Usagi—Damn the though of her uttering such a statement.

"Are you sure that was something Usagi said or are just saying that to be mean to this poor child?" Drew asked in English.

"No," Darien muttered. "Hell, she's even given up sweets." He shuddered. "Watching Buns going through sugar withdrawal is like watching a heroin addict get off smack. What's worst, I can't have any. Me! What the hell did I do to deserve this torture?"

"Cover-boy, you got a kid sitting here with you. Check the language." Drew snapped at him. He caught a server by the arm and ordered three berry sorbets and for the little girl, he wanted extra fresh berries.

"I'm not paying for that," Darien said grumpily..

"It's on the house." Drew slid Serena's booster seat over then he dropped down in the booth beside her. "So where's your baby's mama?" He couldn't help but to ask.

Darien glared at him. "You know, that wasn't funny when Jiro said it all last weekend nor is it amusing today."

"Well she is." Drew pointed out.

"Dude, Usa's still a virgin."

"Meaning you are, too." Drew smirked.

Darien gave him a look that clearly told him to shut up. "Fuck off…"

The two were interrupted by Serena who was pointing a dainty little finger accusingly at Darien. "Oooh," the little girl said, her dark blue eyes were wide as saucers as she told Andrew, "He said a curse word."

And they were back to that. This was the main reason Darien didn't like that kid in the first place! She called him, "He", "Him", or by his first name (Endymion, not Darien), while she respectfully and lovingly called Usagi "Mama."

"It's not nice to point, Serena." Drew gently admonished the kid, while inside he was dying with laughter.

Serena pouted, "But Mama said…"

"Sweetie, your daddy is little nuts. We can forgive him when he has these little slip-ups." Drew hopped out his seat to avoid Darien's kick. Drew stopped laughing at his poor twisted friend and he dropped back down in the booth. "Oh, yeah, speaking of nuts: Don't you know some people in the Minister of Interior's office or something."

"My dad might," Darien shrugged, "Why?"

Drew turned around and grabbed a copy of the _Times_ from the booth behind them. "Because of crap like this." He said as he pushed the paper under Darien's nose. "Just how long is this investigation going to last?" He asked him.

Darien had stopped reading the paper after his received his first lawsuit. Some tabloid reporter in America, who had snuck into his party, had tried to sue him for a wrongful death suit as well for emotional stress and the lost of his camera. The judge in America had thrown the case out since the jerk was still alive (the reporter had tried to sue for his own death) and the judge went on to deny all the rest of the claims since the reporter took the risk by sneaking into the party. That did not stop others from trying to sue him or blame him even though everyone who had died or had been injured at the Crown was alive and their injuries healed. So far, every claim had been thrown out of court.

"I don't know," Darien shrugged, "I guess a miracle is too radical of a concept for the politicians to accept."

"Yeah, well, because of this, my internship is being postponed until the summer." Andrew slumped down in his seat and sulked.

Darien's mouth fell open, "Dr. Fujita is canceling his program?"

"He's part of the investigation so he won't be picking up it back up until next year."

"And what do you think I can do?"

"Hell, I don't know. Maybe nothing, I just want this crap over with. You know my dad's been subpoenaed and the commission wants the security tapes for your party."

"Are there any tapes?" Darien asked. He knew that he had transformed in the open and was certain that everyone had as well. If their identities gotten out, Lord, Darien shuddered to think about of the kind of chaos would come about.

"Ami and Jiro came in the day after and cleaned house."

Darien sighed in relief. "You know had you gone with Fujita this year you would have only been doing paper work?"

The expression on Drew's face showed that he did not believe him.

"I'm serious. You wouldn't be doing anything medical," Darien told him. "Fujita uses undergraduates as secretaries."

"Have you ever joined his program, Dare?"

"I never had the need. Besides, I freaked him out." Darien pushed the paper aside as their server returned with their desserts.

Drew laughed. "You frighten a lot of people. The girl I'm supposed to be tutoring tonight dropped out of a class because you were the TA." Drew grabbed a napkin from the dispenser and made a makeshift bib for Serena.

"Hey," she cried as she ripped the napkin from her shirtfront. "I'm not a baby. I'm a big girl."

"I know you are, sweetie," he said trying to cajole her, "You don't want to mess up your pretty outfit do you?"

Serena shook her head no.

Drew replaced the napkin and then gave her the dessert. "Darien, she is your kid, you should be doing this." He scolded his friend.

"You look like you were enjoying yourself, I wouldn't dream of interfering." Darien smirked, "You stepped right into Mr. Mom role rather easily."

"Only because you are neglecting your kid."

"I'm doing nothing of the sort. I fed her."

"You've been ignoring her."

"Just let the kid eat." His young friend scowled, "I have to drop by Mina's before I take Serena home."

After they finished their dessert and Darien left Andrew flirting with the girl he was supposed to be tutoring, Darien decided stop by a toy store before stopping by his sister's. He didn't know why, just the fact that one of his friends through he was being cruel to a child that he and Usagi would one day have did bother him. To make up for his behavior and to show his kid that he was nice guy, Darien was going let her pick out the most expensive doll in the shop, only she didn't want the priciest toy. He was rather surprised when she chose a Tuxedo Kamen plush doll.

She told him that Usa had given her a Sailor Moon doll, but Kamen was her favorite. He was he was Endy. And that melted his heart. He was his little girl's favorite parent (how quick they change.)

They swung by Mina's place and had dinner. Darien asked how Mina's meeting with Dave went. Mina just gave him some general information that he already knew about but she did not reveal anything new to him. Mina like the rest of the Senshi were being very tight-lipped about this situation and for the first since learning about Mina's secret life as Sailor V, Darien found that he was being shut out of the Senshi business. Well fine, if they wanted to play this way, he could too. This was his planet, although he was not ruler, he would still protect it.

After leaving Mina's it was a quick shot to the Tsukinos. It was a little after six when Darien rang the bell. Lita let him in after she swooped down to scoop up Serena.

"Usa's in her room," Lita told him as they went into the kitchen, to Serena she said, "Are you ready for dinner, little bunny?"

"We had dinner at Min's," Darien told her.

"Well, I guess it's just bath time then." Lita said as she nuzzled the little girl's cheeks. "Darien, Usa wants to talk to you, so if you will go up…"

He stared at her blankly, "Why?"

She started to give him a sarcastic reply until she remembered how exhausted and dispirited her young cousin had looked after the Neptunian Ambassador had left. Neptune could not understand why Usagi had moved finding Anahita down on her list of major priorities. To them and most of the other planets, Terra was a planet open to conquest. With no central government for the planets to communicate with or representatives, Terra was ripe for anyone who was strong enough to take it.

Lita knew that Usagi had been keeping that from Darien. Usagi's presence alone had forestalled the other planets from attempting to conquer Terra. Sadly, Usa could not remain here in defiantly. The day was going to come when they all would have return to Silver Millennium and their home worlds to rule.

Maybe by some divine act it would be possible for Darien to reclaim his kingdom. Usagi had reservations concerning that. The planet was so war torn and filled with suffering and hate that would be impossible for it to unite as one nation at least in their lifetimes.

The Uranian Ambassador was quick to point out the Terrans flaws when they last met. He was intrigued by the United States, the current world super power. He did not believe in the democratic process and found it laughable that the nation was trying to impose their opinion on Iraq when it failed to support the democratic nations in South America or the struggling nations in Africa.

Usagi spent two hours defending the land of her birth and it's international policies. She knew the man had just been making conversation, yet before August Usa had shown little if any interest in the politics of the United States or any country. Now she discussing it with alien diplomats that she was forced to put up in lavish lodgings and give them everything they wanted within reason just to keep them happy while they were on Terra. Her Minister of Finance was pleased to give her anything she wanted and her Treasurer had sent Usagi a small chest loaded with jewels soon after the battle with Metallia that she had been selling off to pay for them Uranians' up keep and to pay for the damage done to the Crown Arcade.

After the Neptunian Ambassador had left, Usa had returned to her room to catch up on her work. She was serious contemplating having her government coming to her with the amount of work they were constantly sending to her. She had budgets to approve, two treaties to sign with the star system next to hers as well as prepare for a summit she was to have with the planetary leaders in December. Oh, she could not forget that she was class project for World History that was due on Monday. She had just decided to take a break from the Punic Wars when she heard someone tapping on her door.

"Come in," she called out. God, she sounded awful even to her own ears. When she heard nothing, Usa turned around with a sharp reply on her lips that turned into laugh of pure delight.

Poking through her slightly opened door was the largest bouquet of red roses that she had ever seen. Without hesitation, Usagi hurried over to the door and pulled it open and she threw herself into Darien's open arms.

"Goddess, I'm so happy that you to see you." Before he could reply, Usa grabbed him by the hand and started to pull him down stairs. "Get me out of here, please or I am going to go mad."

Unable to do anything but comply, Darien said, "Your wish is my command."

She flashed him a warm, grateful smile. "Thank you."

Eiji had finally gotten around to asking Ami out (and to Josh's every lasting joy), the pretty little genius had turned him. She said was overwhelmed by everything that was going on with her planet, Usagi's problems with the Neptunians, and now with this new enemy. Of course she claimed to have been flattered that he had though of her but she really was interested right now.

As they strolled through the park, Usagi brought Darien up to speed on the girls' "love lives." She swore Darien to secrecy about Ami's current crush (actually she wound up begging and promising him anything if he would just keep his mouth shut.) Rei and Asanuma had decided just to be friends. They had determined after their second date that neither really was interested in pursing a relationship at that time, however, they truly enjoyed each other's company. Darien admitted that he wasn't surprised by that which surprised her. She wanted to know why yet after his reasoning, Usa told him that she did not care for his insights concerning women.

Their wondering brought them out around to an open market and brought some noodles from a vender and their talk lead them Alex and Trista.

Whatever Usa had done to Ami, she had managed to duplicate with all the other Senshi. They were all able to reconnect with their pasts (,if that was even the right word for it,) and she offered to do the same for Darien's Generals who turned her down only to explain that their memories of the past were just fine. It seemed the more Usa used her crystal, the stronger her bond with the crystal became, and it in turn strengthened her.

However, she didn't mention what had sent her running from her bedroom. Several times Darien tried to stir the conversation around to what was going on with the other planets only to have Usa brush it aside or bring up something else. Darien could tell that she apprehensive about something and it bothered him that Usagi refused to talk to him about it.

They had come back to the park and had found and empty bench one of the water fountains and cuddled.

Usa rested her head on his left shoulder, her eyes drifted close as she luxuriated in the feel of his long fingers moving through her hair. If she hadn't been so tired she would have yelled at him for taking her down her hair not to mention it felt good having that evil clip out. If she could have anything, Usa would have wanted this night to go on forever.

Alas that was an impossible dream for Usagi. In the morning she was meeting with the Martian Ambassador, King Ares along with the other planets were sending her greetings and gifts as overtures of peace and their fidelity to she and her rule. After that, she was going to try to squeeze in some time to study and spend time with Serena before showing her support for Rei by attending her school's festival. Everyone was going to that and she had to remind Darien that he had agreed to go when he started to protest. Privately, Usa admitted the last thing she wanted to do was go to the thing, but she had made a promised to Rei thus she had to honor it.

She thought Darien was going to complain about the lack of time they have had together, (heck, she did so to Lita almost every night) and was somewhat stunned (and irritated) when he announced that he understood and would take a rain check on his day. It was so compassionate and thoughtful as well as generous, she only wanted to know one thing: Who was he and where the hell was her fiancé?

He laughed at her outraged expression and pulled her down for a quick kiss. He was upset that they wouldn't be spending the day alone but at least they would be together and that had been a rarity since their return from the Moon.

"So I guess you don't miss me at all?" She pouted.

"Of course I do," he whispered. "I miss you all the time, even when you're with me. But I kind of understand what you're going through."

She yawned as she burrowed deep in his arms. "When all of this settles down, we're gonna go back to the way things were before, okay?" She murmured as sleep stolen through her voice.

They could never go back, he wanted to say; Usagi was the ruler of their universe and an alien Queen. They could never be as they once were. Instead of voicing his true thoughts, Darien pulled her close and tucked Usa's head under his chin. Above them the full moon shone bright in the night sky. Not since Usa's return to Terra had truly returned to its once soft pale light. The moon was alive and teeming with life. It was only a matter of time before the people of his planet became aware of the fact that they were not alone in this universe.

**2**

Rei awoke with a sense of foreboding the next day.

It was almost dawn when she left her bed and went to the pray before the great fire of her shrine. She had felt a great darkness moving through the astral planes shortly after Serena had arrived but had felt nothing since. Hotaru and Ami both suspected their enemy to have been cloaking itself and was hiding somewhere nearby. Until last night, Rei had sensed nothing about them, so she was left to wonder why was it showing itself now.

She contacted Ami and was still on the phone with her when Frankie arrived, ready to start on the temple's chores. As she rung off, she noticed him standing inside the kitchen's doorway, a worried frown marred his usually cheerful countenance, it was obvious that he had heard everything she had said. Rei didn't like to see such serious expression on his face; it looked unnatural for someone like Frankie who was always filled with exuberance and joy.

Rei forced a smile to her lips as she motioned for him to enter. "_Buena dias_, Francisco." She bowed slightly in greeting. Frankie rewarded her with one of his quicksilver grins. It was a mock grin, but at least he was smiling.

"_Ohayo_, Rei-chan." He snickered.

"Stop laughing at me." She snapped, but she couldn't stop her own smile from appearing. "Is it my fault that you are awful teacher?" She turned around and reached for the teakettle, but Frankie had rushed over and grabbed the ancient monster before she could lay one finger on it.

"I'll do that." He told her. Frankie gently pushed Rei out of the way as he moved over to the sink. "I'm sorry about laughing, Rei, but your accent is—"

"Terrible?" She rolled her eyes and nodded, "I know, you say so all the time yet you insist upon my learning your confusing language when I barely understand English."

"Spanish is one of the Romantic language." He winked at her, "It is meant to seduce and charm _una bonita señorita_ out of her underwear and into bed."

She burst out in giggles. "And you say this from experience?"

"I never kiss and tell, Rei-chan. Besides it worked for my father when he was wooing my mother." he smirked.

"Oh, I refuse to believe another of your stories," She opened the cupboard and pulled out of box of cereal bars. Had she the time she would have had bowl of the rice porridge the cook had made.

"So, Rei, you're going to tell me bothering you or do I have to guess?" Frankie asked after he put the kettle on to boil. He but his back to the counter top with his arms folded over his chest.

The easy going, laid back façade hid a very piercing mind and a dark, mysterious side, Rei had often been exposed to that other side of Frankie since he started volunteering at her family's temple. Usually the monster would rise when Frankie was worried about her.

Rei stopped nibbling on her breakfast, "Our enemy is on the move." She told him. Before he could comment she went on, "I don't know where they are or how they are moving; with some luck we will have that information soon."

He nodded, "I'll inform David."

"I've already shared this information with Mina. She says until the enemy shows, our status is still high alert." A chill raced down her spine as she recalled an image from her dream. "Tell Dave to be aware of those who promise death."

He looked at her questioningly, "Death?" He was confused.

Rei nodded, her violet eyes were empty as she stared into the flames on the range top, "I have a feeling that our enemy will not stop until they have brought death to this star."

**3**

Usagi was a having bad morning. Since Mina early morning visit, Usa had been though several state of nervousness and anticipation. The enemy had moved, which was good. But they had no idea of where they had gone.

She had to postpone her meeting with the Martian Ambassador, rearranged her schedule all together, and plan for a possible attack somewhere in her Universe. After her briefing with her Royal Council, Usa made time to do some coloring with Serena after breakfast and take the little girl for a walk around the neighborhood. When she returned it was back to business. Mina was preparing an exit strategy for Usagi and had sent Alex over to discuss it with her. The Senshi had decided that it was time for the High Queen to return to Silver Millennium, she would be safe in her own palace. From the kitchen, her parents had overheard every word. Which was why it was no surprise that they sided with her guardians; they wanted their daughter safe and if it meant her leaving them, then so be it.

By this time Usagi had enough. She rounded on Alex and Lita and simply yet firmly told them no. She would not leave her loved ones or Terra until their enemy had been destroyed and that was final. She then excused herself to her get ready for the festival.

After wards, Usa and her Senshi met with Darien and his Generals at the Crown. Mina was reluctantly sharing information with the terrans. She didn't like having foreigners interfering with her work and that was what Dave was doing with all his questions and suggestions. Josh wanted to know about their intelligence and where it was coming from. Jiro asked about their plans for defense and the possibility of exit strategy. Frankie had been talking to Rei and brought up something that neither Mina nor Dave had thought of. The Senshi were not of this world and everything felt the similar to them. However, the Generals were of this world and they knew what was of Terra and what was not. Why hadn't they though to use them to help track this unseen foe?

Ami admitted that his was right. The Senshi had been arrogant by not including the Generals in their search which thus far had yielded nothing. Mina wanted to hold off on further judgment until the Terrans provided them with solid information that could be used in locating their enemy.

Dave turned to Frankie and Jiro which left the Senshi feeling embarrassed. Mina was seething; Dave had been sitting on this information and had not been forthcoming with it. Frankie said that Rei had unknowing confirmed his and Jiro's assessments, then Dave revealed the greatest shocker: The enemy was already on Terra.

Lita wanted to know why they hadn't they said something. All that time and the resources wasted when David could have just picked up the freaking telephone…She had to leave the booth or she would have attacked one of them.

Usagi wanted to know the same. She was angry that Darien had been keeping something so important and vital from her. Darien answered for his men. This was an internal problem and Terra would handle it.

Usagi felt sick and ashamed. She blamed herself for this. She had cut Darien out of certain parts of her life, all the while justifying it all by saying that she was trying to protect him and his planet. She had treated him as…Usagi pushed her emotions aside to focus on the matter at hand.

It was decided that they would continue with their initial plans and go about their day as if nothing was the matter. That meant they were going to festival.

Rei could not rid herself of the cloud of fear that hovered over her since that morning. She had been at her booth for two hours now, casting fortunes that and reading auras. The readings were not apart of her original program, but Rei was using it her customers as covers as she openly cast out a psychic net, searching for dark magics if they were out there. While with her last customer, she spotted Dave moving in through the crowd with Serena riding high on his shoulders. The silver haired youth stopped beside Frankie and the two had a brief conversation. Frankie nodded at something Dave had said and then his commander moved on.

Frankie had come with her and was there as her back up incase something were to happen. Rei was glad to have him there—each of them. Whatever was going to happen, it was going to happen today, until it did, they just had to wait.

Frankie did not like this. All this waiting business was play havoc with his nerves and was making him jumpy. It was why he started so violently when Jiro clapped him on the shoulders.

"Frank. Man, what the hell got into you?" His roommate demanded.

Frankie was hunched over with his right hand clamped over his racing hear. "_Madre de dio_," he panted. "God, you almost gave a damned heart of attack."

Jiro ignored that. "Dave said that you felt an abomination or something in this area and he sent me over here to check it out."

It took him a moment, but Frankie did manage to get his heart out of his throat. "_Sí_, at that fortune teller's booth over there." He pointed to the one that read "Black Moon Supernatural Club. As soon as I had entered the school grounds, I felt that something didn't seem right," Frankie explained, "The feeling of uneasy only grew stronger the closer I came to that booth. There is just so much negative energy coming from that tent and that that chick in there, it just screams abomination. Do you feel that?" He asked Jiro, his voice hardly more than a whisper, but he knew Jiro had heard him.

Jiro nodded, his express was tight with barely suppressed rage. "I do. A black void surrounds that tent. Why the name _The Black Moon Club_? What does it mean?" His eyes narrowed even as realized that something was completely off with the tent and the chick with her crystal ball.

"Rei said she had a vision about inverted black crescents," Frankie told him.

Jiro looked at him in shock. "She's telling you about her visions?"

Frankie glared at him, "Just because she's seeing that loser doesn't mean we don't talk. But seriously, Rei's got these visions and they're starting to worry her. We've tried channeling the negative energy, but with no luck. We gotta get Endy and Usa out of here. Something big is about to go down." He watched as a girl went running from the Black Moon booth and others a couple others went running for Rei and the festival director. "Shit," Frankie swore, "We're too late."

Rei looked up when she heard the commotion coming from the Black Moon's tent. She met Frankie's worried gaze over the crowd, he didn't want her to go, but Rei was being pulled towards the Black Moon booth.

Swearing under his breath, Frankie trotted after her. He shouted to Jiro to tell Dave what was going as he went after Rei.

Rei pushed her way to front of the so-called fortuneteller's tent and stepped between the dark haired girl under the purple veil and her latest victim. When the charlatan started to reach for her crystal ball, Rei slapped the offensive object to ground and caught the girl's wrist in a painfully tight hold.

"What is the meaning of this?" Rei demanded angrily. "Why are you pretending to predict such tragedies for those who visit your booth?"

"What I speak is the truth," the other girl declared. "You should not fear death. It should be embraced and welcomed."

"_Majo_!" Rei snarled. With a flick of turn of her hand, Rei twisted the girl's wrist almost to the point of breaking causing the witch to cry out. "You speak of curses and lies. Only those with nothing to live for fear death. What _you_ are doing is _needlessly_ frightening people for you own perverse pleasures."

To her surprise the false seer smirked, a cruel look appeared in her eyes as she regarded Rei. "Maybe you are the one with the fear, Hino-san." She smiled then and it was a ghastly sight.

Before Rei could reply, the festival director caught Rei's right sleeve and pulled it slight. "Let's go find the Mother," Kate said imploringly. Then she turned to the seer, "Until we return, your booth is closed, Catzi."

Reluctantly Rei allowed Kate to pull her away. Rei glanced back for Frankie, he gestured behind her, and Rei knew the strange girl was following them. They entered the closed off part of the school. Rei managed to pursuit Kate to return to the festival, she told her that she would find inform the Mother Superior of what had been going on. No sooner had Kate left when Rei heard a voice call out.

"Hino Rei. You are so different from everyone else in this place." The speaker cooed, "We know about you. The difficulties you face because of your gift. You feel as if no one understands you. Your father has betrayed you by abandoning you to life of isolation and fear by leaving you in that run down old temple with only that old man to care for you?"

Suppressing a growl Rei turned around to where the sound of footsteps. Out of the shadows came Catzi. Rei was not surprised or impressed by the tacky outfit that witch was wearing, but she was curious about that black crescent in the middle of the other girl's brow.

"Come join us, Rei." Catzi said. Behind her appeared fifteen black droids. "Come to the Black Moon and we will take away all your fears and make you invincible." Her voice changed to a low, melodious singsong that was meant to hypnotize and possess.

…_The enemy was already here…_ Rei threw the thought out to her sister Senshi. "Who are you?" Rei demanded tersely. Her right hand closed over her transformation crystal as she stared at the smiling chimp. "Where do you came from and what do think you will accomplish here?"

Catzi's drones moved to surround the girl. Rei slowly dropped into a defensive crouch as the Dark Moon witch came towards her.

"I am Catzi," the strange girl was saying, "I am the youngest of the Four Sisters of Deception who serves Crimson Rubeus. And as for what we want. We want you, Hino Rei, to join our side."

"Why should I?"

"To save our planet, Terra, from the cruelty of those who worship the accursed stone of illusions that will destroy our world."

Stone of Illusions? Rei frowned. "What are you talking about? What stone could destroy this planet?"

"Terra is being threatened by the outside forces that will one day destroy our home. We need you to help us find the Silver Imperial Crystal and its keeper and destroy them before they can ruin our history and force us into subjugation while their puppet king…"

Outside, Mercury had been listening to the conversation and recording it for further analyst. The last part had her worried. "Venus, are you getting this?" she demanded of her commander who was rushing across from the other side of the schoolyard.

"I am," was the grim reply. "It's an assassination plot and they are trying to use the Terrans against the Queen."

"Mars wants to eliminate the target."

"Take her out."

Frankie stood outside the gym, listening to everything was being said by the Black Moon freak. The girl, Catzi was apart of group of dissenters who wanted to overthrow Endymion's government in the future so they had come to pass thinking they could so. That explained why Frankie felt Terra around the girl, but whatever it was that she and her comrades had hooked up with not of this world. It stank on her like three-day-old fish in the sun or a pair Dave's gym socks; both were lethal on hot days just like the crap that Catzi was carrying around on her back and it was making Frankie worry.

"I am sorry, Catzi, however, I decline generous offer." Rei said politely.

"You are a powerful psychic," Catzi continued to press on. "We will help you develop your talents and give you a place to belong."  
"I said no."

The kind, helpful façade fell from Catzi face, "We are not giving you a choice. You will join the Black Moon." To prove that she was serious, black fire leapt sparked and danced around her closed fists.

For Rei, Catzi had just thrown down the gauntlet. Before the other girl blink, Rei had leap into the air and hit Catzi full in the face with jumping turning kick. The attack was so unexpected that she had caught Catzi unawares. Catzi fell back to the floor with blood and teeth exploding from her mouth; Rei landed in a crouch and immediately went after the other girl.

Meanwhile Frankie was caught up in his own trouble. He was swamped by drones and he wasn't the only one. Dave had Sam and Hotaru with him and they were trying to protect Usagi and Serena from a gang of drones. The enemy had finally decided to attack in order to escape with their prize.

Mina felt it. A pain lanced through her heart and for a moment everything seemed to have slowed down. She heard Trista and Lita shouting as they raced to the gymnasium yet before they could reach the doors, the building exploded.  
"Rei!" Frankie's yells could have been heard across the school grounds. Mina turned and saw that David and Josh were wrestling him to ground to keep him from running into the burning remains of the building.

Usagi shrank back in horror as she felt Rei bring spirited out of this plane. This was too much for her already overwrought nerves. Silently, she called Rei's name before she collapsed in a dead faint.

**4**

Rei had been taken.

Mars wanted answers when Usagi had none. Mina of course took the blame saying that she had underestimated their enemies, but she would not allow such an act to go unpunished. It was again that Lita brought up the idea of Usagi leaving Terra. The argument had turned almost violent physical confrontation when Darien learned that Mina had been trying to convince Usagi to leave before. Darien felt betrayed by his sister and her seemingly lacked of faith him in to protect Usagi and his planet.

Alex threw in that he could not protect his planet since he was not its ruler and had no real say in its destiny. She also let loose the secret Usagi had been keeping from him and until she realized the look of horror on the young Queen's pale did she know it had been a secret.

Usagi did not know what do. Rei had been captured, Mars was blaming her since Usagi refused to leave Terra, and now Darien was angry with her. Darien left in a huff, he did not say anything to either she or Mina. His generals went after him with Dave promising that he would get Darien to calm down. Soon after the Senshi broke off into separate groups and went home.

Usagi had seen to Serena and had put the somber child to bed. Hours later, Usagi was the only person awake in the house and it did not seem that she would be sleeping soon. She sat in her bedroom window watching as the night grew longer, waiting for the dawn.

Over head the bright light of a still brilliant pearl moon hung ponderously in the dark blue sky a silent sentinel for it's Queen. Some time before, when she realized that sleep would not come to her, Usagi spent a few minutes surfing the Internet when she had stumbled across a news report from Holland that had everyone from amateur astrometry to the NASA turning their telescopes to her planet's pale surface.

Life had been discovered and of all the places, it had been on the Moon. A few days before, a group of Martians deliberately wrecked NASA probe. It was one of major issues the Martian Ambassador had wanted to address. Trivial things like the Terran dropping probes onto his King's planet, instead the audience almost become at declaration of war. Ares and his people blamed Usa for Rei being kidnapped.

Again, Usagi blamed herself. Was she so selfish? Because she wanted to remain of Terra one of her dearest friends and allies had been captured by the enemy. And now she had had half of planets wanting to declare war on Terra because of her ineptitude. It was all her fault.  
"Selene, what am I supposed to do?" She whispered. "How can I protect my kingdom when I can't even protect those I love?"


	12. The Dark Moon Family: Chapter IV

**Four**

**1**

"Serena," Usagi smiled tenderly as she wiped the tears from the little girl's face as she came awake.

"Mama!" The child cried as sat up. She threw herself into Usagi's arms and began crying afresh.

It hurt her not to be able to comfort her child, more so than the pain she already felt at losing Mars. The undeveloped maternal instincts were tugging at her heartstrings causing Usa to feel guiltier than she already did. It was bad enough that she hadn't been to school in the last four days. She was in danger of failing this term, but it was kind of difficult balancing schoolwork with growing the demands of the both the Silver Millennium and the Silver Alliance. She could never forget her duties to her planet and empire. Nor could she forget her until recent silent enemy, whose only moves so far had been to put a doomsday prophet at First Street, scare a bunch of kids, blow up a gym, and kidnapped Rei.

Usagi tucked Serena into her lap, wrapping her arms about her as she rocked them slowly. Ares was not happy and Luna hinted that some of the diplomats thought she was incapable of dealing with this situation and a few others thought she was not fit to rule her kingdom. Luna felt that all the fears and doubts could be laid to rest if Usa would return to Silver Millennium, most especially now. For the protection and continuation of the line of the Selene and the protection of the Universe, all parties believed that it would best if she would go back to the Moon, be crowned and started behaving like the ruler her mother had brought her up to be.

All of these arguments and the constant fear of more of her Senshi being taken. These burdens were wearing not on Usa's mind and her spirit, they were manifesting as physical ailments.

Usa ran a through Serena's unbound hair. The silken strawberry strains slipped easily through her long pale fingers. No, she couldn't believe that. There had to be hope for herself and her kingdom in the future if she and Darien were to have Serena…

Or maybe something did happen and Silver Millennium suffered because she refused to leave Terra and was the reason the enemy was here.

Great Goddess she did not know!

Serena raised her worried, tear-stained face and saw the pain and sadness etched on her mother's face. Slowly she reached up, her small, childish hand brushed at Usa's tense face. At the soft touch, Usa looked down at her questioningly.

"It's alright, Mama," the little girl smiled; although her sapphire eyes were swimming in unshed tears, "Even queens cry sometimes."

Usagi searched the child's face, before her lips curved into a hesitant smile. "Thank you, bunny." She pressed an affectionate kiss the Serena's brow. "And I will, after we bring Rei home."

**2**

The enemy had disappeared once again.

Mina was half listening to her professor as she tried to make sense of the latest reports she had received from Silver Millennium.

How could they suddenly appear and just as quickly disappear?

She had given up on to decipher what the Seers on Pluto had tried to communicate. She would let Trista deal with them. Just as she put those aside she got an e-mail from Ami. As much as Mina hated it, she had been forced to deal with the Menace and his leader.

Since Frankie had been working at the temple, he and Rei had become close. What she didn't tell Usagi or Ami, Rei had confided to Frankie. So Frankie, with the help of Jiro and Rei's grandfather, they were searching for any trail that their enemy could have made in this world or the spiritual one.

She hated this. She really freaking hated this entire situation. She was two Senshi short, with a lunatic band of determined psychos terrorizing Silver Millennium and her Queen. And all she could do was sit by and for them to attack again.

The class couldn't end soon enough. Students were packing up there bags as the professor called out the writing assignment for the next lecture. Mina slammed her notebook computer closed and started to reach for her bag only to have someone beat her to it. Her pale gold eyes moved over the large, strong hand, the powerful tanned forearm, the solid thick biceps and shoulder to Dave's slightly grinning face.

"I got this for you, Min." He said as he hefted her heavy bag up on his shoulder.

For a moment, Mina stared at him speechless. She recovered though and with a haughty little toss of her head, Mina turned her back on him.

"I didn't know you were taking this class, Rothschild." She said once they had left the hall. They started towards the student quad, Mina waved at some people she knew.

"It's part of the requirement for my major."

"And what are you reading for?"

It took him a moment to understand what she meant. "Oh, yeah. You Brits with your strange ways." He flashed a quick grin, "I'm studying International Law and Sociology."

"A double major?" She was impressed.

"Yeah," he said sheepishly. "But lately it's been feeling like a double noose."

"Tell me about it."

Dave regarded her for a moment, "Naw, I doubt if could."

Mina didn't like the way he was looking at her. The last thing she wanted was for the jerk who was trying to steal her brother to pity her. Call her crazy, but Mina would have preferred being pounced by a screaming horded of crazy Sailor V fans…

"I'm going to buy you cup of coffee," Dave announced. Without waiting for her answer, Dave caught Mina's free hand in his and pulled her towards the dining hall. At first Mina tried to pull her hand free, but Dave only increased his hold on hand until she stopped trying to get away.

She didn't know what else to do short of pulling out her sword and cutting off his hand. She didn't want to do that—But she really could use a something hot to drink and maybe a bite to eat.

"Alright, throw in a couple muffins and we got a deal."

Dave looked down at her and was graced by one of Mina's rare, carefree smiles as well as confirmed something that about her that Dave had always suspected: She was beautiful in anything, even if it happened to be baggy sweat pants, a hoodie, and running shoes with mismatched socks.

He just wished he could get her to smile like that more often and relax around him. It was kind of hard having a crush on a girl who acted like she wanted to rip you a new one every time you saw her. Yet Dave wasn't about to give up on Mina. He was going to win this ice queen over. He just prayed that he survived the experience with all his teeth, fingers, toes, and testacies. Did he forget to mention that Mina was kind of evil and very scary?

No? He didn't think so.

He was a sick man, but God, he was in love with this Goddess of Beauty, War, and Death.

**3**

"_Hino Rei. You are so different from everyone else in this place." The speaker cooed, "We know about you. The difficulties you face because of your gift. You feel as if no one understands you. Your father has betrayed you by abandoning you to life of isolation and fear by leaving you in that run down old temple with only that old man to care for you?"_

The enemy had known things about Rei, information that was not common knowledge. They knew about Rei's past, Ami wondered how their foe managed to obtain this information.

"_Come join us, Rei." Catzi said. Behind her appeared fifteen black droids. "Come to the Black Moon and we will take away all your fears and make you invincible."_

Rei had been their target all along. The enemy had needed a power psychic and somehow they had learned about Rei's gifts. Where did they get their information and were they looking for others individuals like Rei on Terra and if they were, did the enemy all ready have them?

…_The enemy was already here…_ _Rei threw the thought out to her sister Senshi. "Who are you? Where do you come from and what do think you will accomplish here?"_

_ "I am Catzi," the strange girl was saying, "I am the youngest of the Four Sisters of Deception who serves Crimson Rubeus. And as for what we want. We want you, Hino Rei, to join our side."_

"_Why should I?"_

_ "To save our planet, Terra, from the cruelty of those who worship the accursed stone of illusions that will destroy our world."_

_Stone of Illusions? Rei frowned. "What are you talking about? What stone could destroy this planet?"_

_ "Terra is being threatened by the outside forces that will one day destroy our home. We need you to help us find the Silver Imperial Crystal and its keeper and destroy them before they can ruin our history and force us into subjugation while their puppet king…"_

They were not of this time. They were rebels of future hell bent on overthrowing their King. They wanted to find Serenity before she claimed her throne. What would Usagi and Darien do in the future that would cause such a powerful rebellion? Why would they refer to Darien as a puppet King? Where would this group of radicals come from?

_…The enemy was already here…_

"Ami," her swim coach called out, bringing Ami's thoughts back to the present, "you're up next."

Ami went home tried after a long practice. Normally being in the water would invigorate her physically as well as spiritually. But today she had to struggle in the pool; the waters had felt as if it were trying push in on her and surround her. When she went to shower afterwards, every shower head and faucet exploded as the powerful jets of spray tried to wrap around her again. At first Ami thought her powers were out of control, only to learn that the problem was a bent pipe that caused the accident in the girls' locker room and it was easy for her to caulk her poor performance in the pool up to plain old exhaustion.

There were a five messages waiting on her answering machine. Two were Mina which sounded urgent. Another was from her mother letting her know that someone from Moon had stopped by and left a package for Ami (she really did say it that way.) The package was more analysis of the Terran surface and report. She scanned the document as she half listened as someone invited her to some party for that weekend. Every since people found out that she knew the Starlights (it didn't matter if she really knew them or not) and had seen hanging out with Mina Aino as well as dating Eiji Kaiou (it had been one time and it wasn't even a date. Everyone had gone out as one big group,) Ami's social star had risen in ranks at the Infinity College. To her disgust, Ami was now one of the popular people. It didn't matter before when she was just the top ranking students in the school and highest ranked in the nation for her age group (Darien had held that title for so long that he was no longer included in this ranking.) or that she dominated in swimming. For the last two years, Ami has held the fastest time for the 400 meter medley and ranking national champion in the both the butterfly and backstroke and each year she broke her own record. Which reminded her; she had a meet the next day. She should call Usa and asked if she were coming.

The next message was from her coach reminding Ami to get some rest. That was top on her priorities. Ami couldn't remember the last time she actually fell asleep in her bed. She had been passed out on the couches, at her desk, or on top of her bed but rarely has she moved beneath the covers. She prayed to all the Gods of both Mercury and Terra that she made it to bed before one o'clock.

The final message pushed all other thoughts about the enemy, her problems, and the meet completely out of her head.

"Hey, Merc, it's Josh." Ami dropped down in her desk chair; unbeknownst to her a bright happy smile broke on her face while she listened to Josh asking her if she wanted to catch a movie that night. Ami had the phone up before the message ended. She punched in the numbers she knew by hard and after three rings it was picked up.

"_Moshii_, _moshii_," it was Frankie who picked up the phone.

"Hello, Frankie," Ami was trying to be kinder to Frankie since Rei's kidnapping. "Is Josh home?"

"No, he and the cover boy had to go the library for something. But he should be back in a few minutes. You want to leave a message or—" Suddenly in the background there was a large commotion. Ami heard Jiro and Dave yelling something, she heard Mina's name a couple times and then her own. Worried, Ami called out to Frankie, trying to get his attention when David came on the line.

"Ami, where are you?" He demanded.

Puzzled she said, "I'm at home, why?"

"Are you alone?"

"Yes. David, what's going on—"

"Damn it." Dave turned away from the receiver but she heard him shout to both Jiro and Frankie, "How close are Darien and Josh to Ami's?" He paused to hear the answer and he started swearing. He calmed down just a long enough to ask Ami if she could teleport to their house.

"I could," she said hesitantly, "But why can't I just—"

"I'll tell you when you get here." He said brusquely. "Just grab all that you need for the tonight and teleport inside our house." And he rang off.

Ami did as he ordered; She grabbed her laptop, her toothbrush, and some clean clothes and her school bag. She had just summoned her Sailor Crystal when the something broke down her front door. Cold energy wrapped about her as the gates between dimensions opened up around her. Silvered, ice blue eyes flew to her bedroom door as it was blown open and inside rushed a woman in blue body suit and white hair.

"Stop her!" A disembodied voice yelled at the woman. And the strange woman made to leap at the disappearing Mercurian Queen.

But out of the blue, the strong, pure angelic voice of Ami's Queen called out. "_Moon Halation!_" A brilliant silver light flooded Ami's room, slamming into Ami's attacker and disintegrating her on contact. As she faded from sight, Ami saw the light pour out of her room as Usagi's purifying agents cleansed the darkness out of the Mizuno's apartment and continued on to rest through the rest of the building.

When she looked again, Ami was standing in the middle of the Generals' living room. Before she could speak, Ami was caught up in a big bear hug from Frankie.

"Frankie, please," she gasped as she tried to get free. "Let me go. I can't breathe. Frankie!"

Across the street from the Mizuno's home, standing proudly on the roof top of another condominium was Sailor Moon. Clinging to her right leg, Serena gazed proudly up at the powerful warrior queen, who was her own personal idol.

Once the purification was complete, Sailor Moon lowered her scepter and with it her transformation faded until she was just Usagi again. She bent slightly at the waist to remove her daughter from her jean clad leg. Her long plaits fell over her shoulders, brushing both of their faces as she moved.

"Mama, is all over now?" Serena inquired softly as Usagi settled her on to her back.

"No, baby." Usa replied grimly, "This war has just begun."


	13. The Dark Moon Family: Chapter V

**Five**

**1**

Life brought with it many things, some things that were good like getting high marks in your cell bio class or getting that extra burst of speed when you're on that final leg of 100 meters race. Then there were the bad things. Things like missing your favorite old movie on television or having one of your best friends being captured by the Dark Moon family only to have them come back for you.

Ami dropped her fork on the dinner plate then dropped her head in her hands. At the opposite end of the table, Marie Mizuno concerned eyes were fixed on her daughter's sad face.

"Anne Marie?" She called out softly.

The two softly spoken words caught Ami's attention immediately. It was rare that her mother ever called Ami by her real name. A slight grimace appeared on the gentle girl's face as she reminded herself that it was not her true name either. She was Saraswati, an extraterrestrial queen who somehow replaced the Mizuno's baby while it was still in the womb. She and the others were in the classical sense changelings, a being begotten by some supernatural being and then secretly exchanged for the rightful child. They were not demonic, they were not sent here to hurt the ones who reared them, for Queen Serenity would have never been so cruel. But they were hurting their families. They would one day abandon them because the Terrans will look at them and see that they were different. They would see that they were not aging, that they defied the natural order of things and then—

"Honey," Marie's voice broke through the hysteria that threatened to consume her and Ami grabbed hold to it like a lifeline.

She lifted her face from her cold hands showing the tears that streaming openly down her face. Each tear that splatter on the lace tabletop froze on contact. She felt weak and helpless which warred with the valiant warrior and ruler that resided in her soul. The internal battles, the guilt she was feeling over Rei's capture and her own rescue was playing havoc in her heart.

In times like these, Ami would wish that she never became a Senshi in this life only feel ashamed when she thought of her friends and how they had also fought and managed to handle the constant changes in their lives. Mina used to do this alone for years and…and…Ami did not care. At that moment, she was not a queen nor was she a Senshi. She was a girl barely sixteen-years-old who until six months ago lived in a sheltered little world. She was scared to death for herself and her friends and she needed her mother at that moment.

Marie was at her side in a heartbeat. Her arms wrapped protectively about her frail daughter and she held her tightly as she could.

Ami was cold, frightfully so. Had she been anyone else, Marie would have rushed her to hospital in fear for that person's life. She knew the girl in her arms was an illusion. A few weeks before Marie had seen her daughter's true face, the one hidden by her mask of humanity.

Ami was ice; a living, breathing being of ice and mist and frigid waters. Her chilly flesh was blue-grey, not a pale translucent white that is associated with the ice blasted aortic, Ami was the frozen waters that surrounded the polar caps. Her features were very sharp and exotic, completely at odds with the soft, delicate features that Marie knew almost as well as she knew her own face.

The face Marie had seen that one time was not of a girl who was shy and uncertain of herself, but of a self-assured, confident woman who had witnessed more than her share battles and tragedies. Her eyes were hazel, an exotic blend of blues and grays that moved as water did in a pool and her hair—Marie finally knew why her daughter had dark blue hair. Ami's true hair color was the cold early morning fog rolling off a lake touched pale blue undertones that all in all gave Ami an iridescent effect. Ami had explained that Mercurians lacked the pigments for such a strong colour. Not even the venerated Queen Serenity's magic had been powerful enough to override Mercurian natural physiology.

Ami felt her mother trembled beside her. She knew that she was the cause. Once again guilt tore at her as she gently removed herself from her mother's embrace.

"I'm sorry, Mama." She whispered as she dried her eyes wet eyes. Ami just happened to glance down when she noticed the ice sickles forming on the front of her mother's blouse. Anguish sank its mighty jaws into her as the divide between her once Terran body gave more ground to the alien that she was.

"Ami," Marie whispered sadly as she reached up to touch her daughter's face but the girl drew back.

Marie let her hand dropped back to her side with a soft sigh. Ami wasn't rejecting her; Ami knew her skin was too cold to touch.

Her poor little girl, Marie though as she rose to her feet, how she wished she could take away her pain. How sad and alone she looked. Marie sensed that Ami was apologizing for more than ice sickles and the frozen tears. She apologizing for the changes that she was experiencing and the person she was now. She was not Dr. Marie Mizuno's daughter anymore, but that was fine by Marie. In her heart, Saraswati, Sailor Mercury, the Queen of Mercury, and whoever else she was, would always be her sweet, little Ami. She hoped that her touch conveyed what words failed to do.

She gave Ami acceptance. From Ami's remembered past, this was what her people never had from the ancient people of Earth.

"I'm here for you, Ami." Marie promised her. "I'm here for you always."

**2**

Lita and Alex had left their sorority sisters at the last club now the two were ready to go home. Life was becoming kind of rough for all the girls. Each was in school trying to continue with the lives and responsibilities they had before becoming Sailor Warriors and monarchs of alien worlds.

Since Rei had been captured and the attempted kidnapping of Ami, Mina had been them all working double shifts in:

1_. Guarding Usagi_

_ 2. Research with the Generals_

_ 3. Training_

_ 4. Working as liaisons between the High Council and Mina herself._

The later was actually a top priority since Mina was on the verge of going to Silver Millennium and it wasn't for a pleasure trip either. Luna (to Lita dumbfound and heart attack inducing surprise) headed off Mina's plots for murder and destruction of the Imperial High Council by suggesting that Mina worked directly with her (the brave woman) and if Mina needed to speak with a Minister or Council member that she assign one of the Senshi serve as her proxy.

That job fell mostly on Ami and Hotaru's shoulders. Ami was the Intelligence Officer as well advisor to both Mina and Usagi and Hotaru was Mina's other second-in-command. Unfortunately, them there were those few occasions when either Lita or Alex had to pitch in and help out due Ami's schedule or Hotaru was in one of her Mina phases or Trista just would not be bothered. It was always something and frankly the two girls were feeling over extended and their contributions were not being appreciated by Mina and the others. (Lita had missed two assignments and Alex had to talk to her mother twice since she had been too distracted to avoid her.)

After spending the day complaining about it and that they wanted to attend their sorority's mixer, Mina grudgingly worked out schedule with Dave and the guys which gave the Senshi the night off from guarding, research, training, and whatever else torture Mina could think up on a moment's notice.

Lita felt guilty taking the night off to relax while Mina and the Terrans took up her slack, but not so guilty that she wanted to rush home and start reading those transcripts from the Imperial Forces. Besides her meeting with Mina wasn't until later the next day and she could read them in her history class or hand them over to Ami and bow out of the meeting all together. She would need to come up with a plausible excuse to get out of it though, Mina didn't care if you were on your deathbed taking your final breath, if she wanted something from you, you best deliver or there would be hell to pay.

She and Alex turned off on Greek Row and started walking towards their cars. Beside her the tall, willowy Russian woman yawned broadly as stretched her back with a great deal of bone creaking and joint popping.

Lita tried not to cringe, but by the fifth pop of Alex's vertebrate, she was ready to crack herself. It was ironic that she had no problem snapping another's spine or ripping their head from their shoulders after sending 1000 watts of electricity through their body. Still when Alex pooped the tendons in her neck for the second time, Lita was ready to scream bloody murder.

When Alex went for her third, Lita caught her mischievous grin and she turned to yell at her to stop when the area around them exploded.

**o.O.o**

With trembling fingers, Usagi cautiously snagged a fry from the ignorant David's basket and dipped it to Mina's spicy buffalo sauce.

"I think it would best for everyone if we were all in one location." David slid the basket in front of Usagi. He didn't miss her thievery. But after twenty minutes of arguing with the stubborn blonde goddess seated across from him had destroyed Dave's appetite and left a rather sour feeling in his gut that felt suspiciously like an ulcer. "You and your team would be able to focus on protecting Usagi and we can defend you all of you."

Mina's right eye was twitching rather uncontrollably, as she fought a desperate battle to retain her composure, unfortunately for Dave and Usagi who was an innocent by-stander in all of this, Mina had finally had enough and she just snapped.

Usagi tried to make herself as small as possible and remain silent in the face of the Venusian's growing wraith. Darien had been smart and left the table as soon as the conversation had turned to their enemy. He knew his sister better than anyone and at the time Usagi hadn't thought follow. Curse her voracious appetite and Andrew's tofu burger! Now she was going to die because David was a either a masochist or he was just too freaking stupid to see that he was pissing Mina off. Mina was going to kill him and she was going to be crushed by his freakishly large corpse when it fell on her.

Mina had heard enough. David had done nothing but try to undermine her authority and her position since the day he regained his memories and powers. He wanted to take control of her Senshi by trying to usurp her position as High Commander of the Imperial Forces, and worst he was trying to steal her genocide away from her!

Goddamn it! Mina had had it up to her hairline with the overbearing Terran male. How dare he imply that she did not know her duties! Who was he to think that he was going to steal her war? The insufferable bastard had to die.

With a wild shriek, Mina lunged across the table reaching for David's eyes. A scream of terror tore from Usagi's lips since she was in the crossfire. At that moment, everything seemed to slow down around them.

Halfway across the table, Mina felt her pulse quicken as a surge of power rush through her body. Two of her warriors had transformed and were now in battle. In her mind's eyes, Mina could see Jupiter and Uranus going into battle against tall dark-haired woman in a mini skirt with some kind of mangy dead animal draped over her shoulders. She was no serious threat to them as Uranus proved as she easily dispatched the freak by loping off her head before turning to join Jupiter against the real danger.

Mina was falling onto the table. David let out a strangled cry as he reached up to grab her, but just as his hands closed about her waist, Mina disappeared in a flash of sparkling golden lights.

David stared at the empty space in shock.

The girl that had just been in front of him had simply vanished but not like a poof of smoke or with a wave of her hand…Dave had been looking directly into Mina's face, their eyes had met and in that brief moment he had seen Mina's true face. He had seen Love in the flesh and it frightened him. Love walked hand and hand with death. Beauty was just an illusion and it was eros' greatest weapon. David was so caught up in the mysterious of Mina that he did not hear the small gasp that came from Usagi. He heard Darien called out the same instance he felt warmth at his side where Usagi sat. He turned to the small lunar girl but she was long gone.

Darien altered his course mid-step and turned to the door. He felt the negative energy that called and challenged Usagi. Dave quickly fell into step beside him and he was aware of Andrew chasing after them with his ever-present satchel/medical bag on his side.

If it wasn't Sam then it was Drew. After Darien's party and at the start of this mess, the two guys followed their friends to a battle at the risk of their own lives in order to help their friends or bring their bodies from the battlefield. Dave picked up on the Senshi's energy signatures and called back over his shoulder to Drew that they were going to KO campus and to call Frankie and Jiro.

Darien felt Josh with the girls. Josh was tutoring that night and he must have still been on the campus when Jupiter and Uranus were ambushed.

Damn it! They had to get there in time.

**3**

_"Jupiter!_" Sailor Moon's anguished screams echoed through the debris littered street on the K O campus as she gave chase after the fading light that had taken her cousin and two of her friends. "_Jupiter!_"

"Sailor Moon," Venus cried running after the small girl to prevent her from being hurt or worst, captured by the enemy.

Left behind to pick up the pieces and restore some semblance of order. Saturn, Pluto, and Zoisite closed and sealed ruptured water mains and repaired electrical lines. It was all they could do not give into their anger and wreak move havoc on the already damaged campus. Still Zoisite allowed some of his frustrations to vent by putting his fist through windshield of an unoffending car.

Neither Saturn nor Pluto scolded him, he was hurting just as they were, so they understood.

"I still can't believe they took them? How could that—_that thing_ be stronger than _three _Goddesses?" Saturn murmured quietly to Pluto as they moved down the alley. Her guardians had been busy that night collecting the souls of the dead. Pain crossed her normally impassive features as she recognized two of the people that had been killed by their enemy during the attack.

Pluto had caught the look. She reached out and touched her commander's tense shoulder offering her compassion as the Guardian of Death and Destruction sent two of her childhood friends to their final resting place.

"They will find peace in Thanatos' embrace." Pluto told her.

The smaller woman nodded sadly. "It was their time." She turned her face away so Pluto would not see her tears. "But this was—this was unnecessary."

"Kore," Pluto said uncertainly. "If you want—"

She reached up and removed Pluto hand from her shoulder. "I will be alright," she assured her. Her voice was thick with unshed tears, so she had to clear her throat. "I just don't know what I am going to say to their families?"

Zoisite was abruptly pulled away from the car he was demolishing. He swung around ready to lay into who had interrupted him only to meet Jadeite's understanding eyes. Zoisite dropped his fist, the rage that had fueled him suddenly drained away leaving him with only guilt and despair.

"They took her, man." He told him. His voice hitched as he fought down a sob. "They took Ami."

"Ami?" Jadeite choked his eyes wide with disbelief. "¿_Cómo_…?"

"She teleported in just when I got here," Zoisite said, "Lita and Alex were being sucked into that wormhole and she tried to rescue them—But she wasn't strong enough. I couldn't help her and when the rest of the girls showed up it…"

"It just absorbed them." A grim face Venus told Tuxedo Kamen and Kunzite. Her arms were closed protectively about the pitiful sobbing figure of her Queen. There were no tears in the embittered warrior's hard golden eyes just a frighteningly cold resolution. She looked away, grief and shame making sharp marks on her beautiful face as she ground out. "They hadn't a hope in hell of standing against that thing."

Kamen was shaken; he had never seen his sister so cold or Usagi so broken. It hurt him to his heart that he could not do anything to take away hers or Usagi's pain. He could not allow this Dark Moon gang to continue uncheck. For their sake, he would stop them, somehow.

Every one of Kunzite's instincts was telling him to get himself and his Prince as far away from Sailor Venus as fast as he could. Her calm voice, the flat look in her eyes made her all the more dangerous than whatever the hell had been stupid enough to stir her rage.

But Kunzite was a grown man, not some trembling little boy. He was the leader of the Royal Terran Armies and Prince Endymion's second in command as well as the fearsome warrior whose name in the past was equivalent to terror. He was not about to be intimidated by a six foot Amazon in high heels!

"Did you see what it was?" Despite all that he told himself, his voice still shook slightly when those ominous gold eyes turned on him.

At that point, Sailor Moon tore away from her guardian and unerringly threw herself into Kamen's arms. "They took my cousin and my best friend…" She sobbed through her tears. "They took Lita…"

Kamen said nothing. Over Moon's head, Kamen watched Venus' hands clench into fists as she stared resolutely ahead.

"I failed to protect them," she ground out. "I should have been here with them—I should been taken…"

"No!" Sailor Moon violent cry of denial caused everyone's attention to focus squarely on them. After witnessing the horror of losing her friends—No, she would not allow another to be taken.

Venus stared at the Queen helplessly. Moon could see the pain and rage coupled with guilt on her face and it strengthened Usagi's resolve as she reached out to her.

"Tuxedo Kamen let me go, please." She said quietly.

He did the opposite. "Bun, we need to get out of here." He said in terse whisper. "Whatever you have to say to Min will have to wait until we get you home."

Moon look like she was going to protest, but the fight died in her eyes and slumped against him, "Take me home." She whispered. "I have to tell my parents what happened to Lita and…"

"No, your Majesty." Venus straightened to her full height, "As the Commander of the Imperial Forces of Silver Millennium and the Silver Alliance, the duty is mine."

Silently the last of her soldiers had gravitated to their leader's side. Sailor Moon looked at the three warriors and her resolve returned, giving her the strength to do what she knew was right. There would never be another moment like this for them. Her warriors had been beaten, four of their number had been taken, and they did not know where their enemy had come from or was hiding out, yet in spite of every set back her warriors refused to give up.

They were proud, Sailor Moon smiled at them. They were fearless, noble, and brave; They were not broken or defeated. They were strong.

"I believe in you," she told them as she met each of their eyes. "I believe in your strength to defend my kingdom and your unwavering loyalty to protect us all. I trust you." Her eyes fell on Venus' and she held her gaze. "Silver Millennium looks upon each of you as her guardians who have never failed her. My Senshi, I look to you when I need strength because I know you will lay down your lives for me without a second though and even then you will _still _fight for me." She stepped forward and held her hands out to them. "I trust you. Each of you and I know that you will win."

Behind them Tuxedo Kamen and Kunzite exchanged a weird look. Neither knew what had just happened between the four girls, but whatever it was it huge. Power was rolling off Sailor Moon in waves and the three warriors before her were sending it right back to her. A pale nimbus surrounded Sailor Moon and the Senshi as the group transferred their power. From the corner of his eye, Tux noticed the small crowd that was forming around them. He saw the expressions on their faces, the fear and horror was being replaced by awe and reverence. He turned back to his girlfriend and he understood.

This fight was far from being over.

The very heart of the universe was depending on all of them, Tux nodded to himself as he threw his own hat into the ring. His power reached out and wrapped about his lady. Sailor Moon glanced back at him over her shoulder. The smile on her face was a new dawn in the wake of this all turmoil.

They were not out of this yet.


	14. The Dark Moon Family: Chapter VI

**Six**

**1**

Darien finally understood why his house mates (with the exception of Josh) chose to skip their classes occasionally. It wasn't because they were lazy or didn't care about their class standing (well, he wasn't completely sure about Frankie). It was as Dave often claimed; sometimes a person needed a mental health day.

In all his years as student, Darien had never missed a day of school. The though never crossed his mind until he got up in the middle of his first lecture and walked out the door with his professor yelling for him to come back.

Not wanting to stay on campus, Darien got into his car and headed home. He had kept the radio off, the major news was the fight between them and the Dark Moon and the aftermath. Five people had been killed that night, twenty were injured, and two students were missing. The two missing were of course Lindsey Kino and Princess Anastasia Alexandrova. Darien had caught the morning news before he walked out the door. A morning news program was running an excerpt of last news. Kenji and Ilene had appeared and gave a brief statement about the disappearance of their niece and made the obligatory appeal to the Sailor Girls to find Lindsey and Miss Alexandrova.

While Darien had stopped in his favorite coffee shop for espresso and muffin, he heard Alex's mother on the radio blasting the Japanese government for allowing the "terrorist" to continue to roam free and commit all the horrible acts of violence. She demanded that the Minister of Public Safety do whatever it was in his power to protect others from the menace and to find her daughter.

Even Rei's father had to address the issue. All of Japan knew or had heard of how his daughter had been killed by this radical faction which destroyed the gymnasium at her school…At that, Darien tuned the rest out. But he could not escape it. The attack and the kidnapping had been the main topic of conversation on the lips of the students when he went in to class that morning.

What he heard ranged from paranoid delusions to the absurd. After deciding he did not want to spend the rest of the day listening to that rabble adding to fact that he was emotionally exhausted (he had spent the night at Mina's trying to help her cope with this mess.) He had called Usagi that morning to check on her. Her mother hand answered, Usa had gone to school that morning. He had surprised to hear that, but her mother explained that Usagi only went to escape her hounding government. With five Senshi MIA, Silver Millennium was now more afraid for Usagi's life. They wanted her off Earth (Terra for the Intergalactic savvy.). Darien knew Usagi's stand on the issue had not changed and as much as it secretly pleased him, Darien was beginning to think that her government was right. Neither Usagi nor the remaining Senshi were safe on his world. Their enemy was Terran, which made them virtually invisible to the Senshi who could not tell most Terrans apart unless they were familiar with their energy patterns. Their senses were blocked by magic which was fine under normal circumstances except this time it was their greatest hindrance.

Rei was a powerful psychic. When it had just been Usa, Ami, Rei, and himself, the priestess had a near uncanny ability to sense Beryl's pets and predict where they were set loose on Juuban. She had felt the aliens who had invaded over the summer, (now that was the dumbest invasion he had witnessed since seeing the movie Mars Attack as a kid.) So it worried him when Rei had failed to pick up on the so called rebels from the future who were out to assassinate both him and Usa… Darien came to sudden stop, luckily he had come to a red light when he had his epiphany.

They had been going about this entire situation all wrong. When the light changed, Darien gunned the engine and made u-turn, going back towards Tokyo.

If he was right, the answer to their dilemma has been right under their noses the entire time.

**2**

She knew she shouldn't have come to school, but Usagi could not bear to be her house that morning. The entire atmosphere there had been oppressive. With calls coming in from concerned family members in America and Europe, and the media, it had all been too much, not just for her but her family as well.

Usa looked down at the mess she had scribbled down when she should have been taking notes in her history class. Haruna-sensei had been very understanding when Usagi did not do well on her math test that afternoon. She was going to let Usa make it up at the end of the week, but in the meanwhile her prayers were with her and family. She closed the booklet firmly before dropping it down in her bag.

Usa raised her face to the sky and closed her eyes. A tired sigh mingled with sadness escaped her lips, betraying the false sense of calm and serenity she projected to the outside world. Prayers were the last thing she needed right now. Usa needed answers not just for herself, but her government, the allied planets, as well as the families of her Senshi.

What does the enemy want? She wondered. Where did they come from? Why did they want to destroy her crystal? Could her death really be all they cared for?

"I'm afraid the sun cannot give you the answers you seek any more than the wind can, Serenity."

At the use of her true name, Usagi's eyes flew open and she turned to face who had dared to intrude upon her solitude. Her pale gray eyes met unremarkable brown in the familiar face one of her oldest friends. Confusion marred her lovely face as she looked up Umino who stood a few feet away from the bench she was seated on.

"What did you call me?" she asked in a low whisper.

Umino heard the demand in her quiet voice as well as the underlying threat. Just like his sister, he was a psychic, but he was not a strong one. But what he lacked with that gift, he made up with his other gift.

_"Do not fear, your Majesty, I am your loyal servant."_ He said in her mind.

Usa gasped, startled by the mental touch and by the sudden rush of images that followed. This she had only shared with her Senshi and her family, a gift that served to convey her deeper emotions to those she cherished most. It was more intimate and more precious since only showed the truth. As it was now.

Forcefully, Usagi shoved him from her mind. The backlash of her sudden anger rushed over him like a physical attack which caused him to stumble back against a tree. He hit the tree before dropping to the ground in graceless heap. He lay there for a moment pulling up his mental barriers as he also tried to regain his composure.

Suddenly a small hand was at his throat. The pressure from the deceptively delicate hand was cutting off his air supply. He opened his eyes and Usagi emitted a small gasp and quickly let him go.

"Ares?" she said in shocked disbelief. One the brow of her geeky little friend was the last thing she had ever expected to see.

The King of Mars rose from his comfortable seat on the earth floor, pausing to dust dirt and dried leaves from his uniform jacket and his rear all the while the flaming symbol of the Ancient God for whom he had been named was blazing on his forehead.

"In the flesh," he bowed mockingly.

Usagi face became a deep shade a red as she recalled just moments ago she ready rip the smirking King's throat out because she thought he was the enemy.

"What are you doing here, Ares?" she demanded curtly in an effort to regain control over the situation.

"It's Umino, please Serenity." He smiled charmingly down at her.

She only huffed and turned her nose up at him defiantly.

He tried again, but Usa was in no mood for flattery. Just when she thought things could not get any worst, the freaking King of Mars just had to show up and possess Umino.

"I have not possessed anyone," he snapped her as soon as she thought that ridiculous idea. "This is my Terran disguise. I have been on Terra for five years."

Usa's head whipped around to his direction so fast he was surprised she did not have whiplash. "Five years?" She cried.

He nodded curtly

Usa started to her feet. Ever the courtier, Ares offered her his hand, which she absently accepted.

It took Usa a moment to right herself. Her long hair had gathered bits of leaves and twigs and the bottom of her skirt was dusty. She didn't know what possessed her to wear her hair in buns and pigtails that morning. The stuff was well near uncontrollable when it was loose, the shimmering, semi-transparent strains moved about as if gravity was a myth.

Once she was satisfied that she no longer resembled Serena at play, Usa directed her attention on the King before her and growled out rather menacingly, "Start talking, Ares." She shoved her index finger in his chest, making him back up until he hit the same tree again. "What the hell are you doing on Terra?"

Ares looked down at the slight girl glaring up at him with daggers in her eyes and he swallowed hard. This meeting was not going as he envisioned.


	15. The Dark Moon Family: Chapter VII

**Seven**

**1**

She had listened to Ares plead his case without interruption and now the Martian King sat tense beside Usagi awaiting her answer.

After going over the matter and weighting the repercussion of each position, Usagi settled on her decision. She turned to Ares, her face expressionless as she crushed all his hope. "I cannot allow you to remain on Terra, Ares."

Ares stared at her blankly. He must have not heard correctly because he asked her to repeat herself.

"Lugh," she said softly, using the King's true name. Usa laid her hand over his tightly clinched fist, there was compassion in her tone but there was no regret. "Although I do sympathize with you and your people in concern for your sister, I cannot allow you to stay on Terra." He started to protest but she continued with that same now mocking voice. "It is my edict that protects this world from the other planets that wishes to invade Terra. Your being here jeopardize Terra's safety—"

"No more than your misguided loyalty to your lover has endangered the life of not just my sister but also the lives of monarch and person in this universe." He said hotly.

Usa drew in a sharp breath, "How dare you?" she hissed.

"How dare I?" Ares cried, "How dare _I_? You have _no right_ to question my motives when they are _far more_ _pure_ than your unveiled selfishness, Serenity. How dare I indeed," he sneered. "I care more for my sister and her fellow warriors than you could, your Majesty."

"Were I my mother, you would be dead now." Usa warned him.

Ares was beyond caring. "Yet you are not that worthy Queen." He hissed. "She would never endanger the lives of her people for a personal fling."

She slapped him. Her small hand left a dark red imprint on his pale face. Slowly, Ares brought his dark gaze back to her. The fire that he had kept under control was a roaring inferno in his ruby eyes. His mask of humanity fell away and the God of War loomed over the small girl in his full divine glory.

Usa was not intimated. She looked beyond the brilliant radiance to the man "You are more of an arrogant fool than I ever though! You think you can challenge me and that I will meekly stand by and allow you to have you way?"

"I will not go." He told her.

"I am sorry, Lugh," she bit off harshly. "But my will remains the same."

"You cannot ask this of me, Serenity." He cried. Disgusted with the sudden turn of their conversation, Ares turned away from her, his graze settled on small budding cherry blossom tree. "Nothing is as it should be. Beryl is dead, her pet demon was destroyed and you all have your memories and the your Kingdom has been restored, why won't you go home, Serenity?"

"Do you believe my leaving Terra will make Frejya forget your betrayal?"

"Do you honestly believe by staying here you can protect your petty princeling and his pitiful little world?" He countered.

Usa's eyes narrowed ominously. "You do not want to challenge me."

He glanced at her over his shoulder, his eyes searching, before he made his confession. "I know Frejya will never forgive me, but I have never cared one wit for the woman nor do I want her forgiveness. Not more than will support your decree when it fails to keep my sister safe. It is beyond even my strength to live through my sister death again."

"Your sister died on while you were on Mars, sulking as I recall, because Neti-Erra chose her loyalty to Venus over her youthful romance with you."

He grinned, it was a cruel. "So you were not completely blinded by your lust for Hyperion's bastard as we all believed. You actually knew what was happening in your court."

"Insult Endymion again, Ares, and Brighid will be on your throne by day's end." She warned.

He was warned yet he was still angry. He had been forced to live when all those he loved and cherished had passed into the afterlife. Ares had been forced to endure his twin's death as a living witness. He had felt every torn bleeding wound that poured the life out of Brighid and when she ultimately lost her battle against thanatos. Unlike his sister, Ares awoke two days after walking in the land of dead with his twin, and just hours after clinging desperately to Brighid before death's guardians managed to pry her from his arms. Those mercilessly Furies had dragged him back to the land of the living and barred him Persephone's gates when he tried to storm Titan Castle. It had been after Ereshkigal had come to their dimension did Ares find some solace for his distraught heart as did the remaining survivors of that dark day.

Queen Serenity, in her final moments, had summoned a forbidden spell. The magic demanded the ultimate sacrifice to which their great Queen readily paid so that her daughter and those others who died that awful day would live again. The heirs of the Silver Alliance would live. This news gave Ares broken spirit peace. It made him hope and a reason to believe. Happily, Ares fought his way back to sanity and then began to make his plans for reuniting with his twin. He put his oracles to work, he watched the signs himself, and when he felt Brighid's soul come near the Great Void, he was on Terra. Ares searched out her ancestors and protected them while as he waited for the day Shigekane Hino met Lin Far Yow. He officiated at their wedding and he was there when his sister took her first breath her terran body. He held her in his arms, still wet and warm covered the fluids of her birth. The precious bundle in his arms had opened her eyes and her first sight of in this new world was of him. It was all that was needed for their souls reconnect. And for the God of War, it was the first time he felt could breathe in eons.

"You have no idea of what it was like for me to live this long without my sister." He said his voice was thick with emotion. "I while do love Neti-Erra and worship her with my soul, it is for Brighid—_the_ other half of my soul—that I make my appeal to you. You know that we are Gemini twins, bound to one another through mind, body, and soul. My sister is my dearest friend, my other half, and the love of my life. I died with her that day on Silver Millennium and I lived every day, every century, every millennium with the memory of her screaming my name, digging her nails into my arms as the Furies tore us apart." He raged, "I will not leave this place until my sister does!"

His pain, rage, and fear hit her at fully; it forced her back and into the arms of her Senshi who had suddenly appeared behind her. Usagi pulled out of her Senshi's arms and looked back to where Ares stood only to find the space empty.

She sat up, the wind pushed her weightless hair over her shoulders as she stared at empty space with a superstitious eye. Had the conversation only had been a wild daydream? Was the King of Mars really on Terra searching for his sister?

She could hear Umino talking rather loudly in his squeaky, adolescent voice to Molly. There were no cultured overtones or elegance in his speech. It was unbelievable to think that the urbane, articulate King of Mars would hijack a terran just to be near his sister. It was madness, to think—

"Your Majesty," Venus said formally, "the others are waiting for you at your parents' home."

"_I will not leave, Serenity," _she felt the gentle brush against her mind_, "Not without Brighid."_

"_Lugh." _She reached out to him but the connection was broken.

**o.O.o**

Deep within the heart of a fortress made of dark crystal, the cries of a tortured soul echoed through the cavernous vaulted halls of the castle's prisons.

A man in a dark blue uniform and with hair of the same color watched as his assistants removed the restraints that secured his victim to the color metal table. Slowly, he moved to stand near the table, the prisoner, a girl with long, black glared up at him in defiance. A smirk graced Sapphire's pale lips as he reached out and brushed a lock of matted hair from her face.

The girl jumped at the tender touch. She hated it when he touched her, Sapphire knew this, but he felt compelled to touch her. Her soft translucent skin was incredibly soft and very warm, like a fire on a cool night. And despite the abuse she had endured since her capture, the girl's downy complexion had remained clear, there wasn't a mark to be seen anywhere on her lithe body. She was a puzzle and luckily for her, he enjoyed puzzles.

"Rei," he spoke in soft, soothing tones. He watched her violet eyes narrow. Her pretty bow shaped mouth thinned to a thin line as his hand cupped her cheek. "You are the Senshi of Mars." He whispered.

She did not answer him. She never did. Sapphire often wondered what her voice sound like when she was not screaming in agony.

"When did you receive your powers?" His eyes fell to her lips. Rei did not give him the satisfaction of shrinking from his advances. But she did not hide her disgust when his breath wafted over lips. Reluctantly Sapphire drew his eyes away from that temptation. "Why were you on Terra?"

The hand on her face began to move lower. Rei still stared forward, willing herself out of this moment and away from him. She could not scream, she would not move, she is nothing more than the flame.

Suddenly Sapphire pulled his hand from her and jerked away to confront whomever had entered his chamber.

Rei moved her head slightly to get a look at the person. It was another man, the one with dark red hair and terrible fashion sense. He had brought her to this hell, carrying her in his arms as if she were some precious burden. She would recognize his awful uniform and spiky red hair anywhere. Green cargo pants and red vest did not a villain make.  
Sapphire glared at the interruption, Rubius smirked.

"You're still playing doctor with your little bitch?" Rubius drawled as he strolled over to the metal table. "Hello, Beautiful," he raised a hand as if to touch her, but it was violently slapped away as Sapphire moved between Rubius and the table.

"Don't touch her." He snarled at the other man.

For a moment Rubius stared at the young man then he look down at the naked girl on the table. Without a word, Rubius stepped around the irate youth, picked up a blanket and draped it over the girl's body.

Rei didn't have the strength to cover herself properly much less sit up. Rubius reached out, gently pulled the young warrior up into a sitting position, and cautiously wrapped the coarse blanket around her torso. Rei sagged helplessly against his chest through this. Rubius had been quiet effacement in getting her covered. Not once did his hands stray to any forbidden part of her body and for that she was grateful.

Once she was descent, Rubius swung Rei up in his arms and gave her to one of Sapphire's minions. "Make sure she and the rest of the prisoners are given fresh water and are fed. Prince Diamond does not want his guests mistreated, so find Sailor Mars some clothes. Also, bathe her. This woman stinks." He looked at Sapphire as he said that. "Even dogs are treated better than this."

After drones rushed off to as he commanded Rubius direction his attention to his Prince's brother. Sapphire was not himself, that was obvious to everyone in the castle, but his behaviour towards the Martian Warrior was more than a little peculiar. It was enough to make the Prince worry about him and it took a lot to gain Diamond's attention these days. Rubius let out a tired sigh as he rubbed his face.

He had captured three more Senshi and there were four more in the past, excluding the Queen, he would have to capture before the Dark Moon made their final assault on Terra and Silver Millennium.

"The Prince wants you to begin interrogating Sailors Jupiter and Mercury soon."

"I've finished with Mars." Sapphire said stubbornly.

Rubius hated to look at Sapphire because he knew what he would see. There was it was, that same sick obsession that had consumed his brother had now effected Sapphire. The only cure for it rested in death. **"**We should kill the Sailor Senshi right away."

Sapphire looked at in shock. "I though you cared for the Senshi."

Rubius shook his head, "They are prisoners, very dangerous prisoners. We should but an end to them while we have the opportunity."

"What rubbish." Sapphire said dismissively, "With the Poison Dark Crystal and my brother's All Seeing Eye, we will do the once unimaginable. We will conquer Terra and destroy the Silver Alliance."

He could remember a time when Sapphire would have sided with him on this matter. There was a time when Sapphire would have argued for reason and logic, but now it seemed that he was only concern with taking advantage of the Senshi of Mars. How would the Wise Man silence his most vocal opponent?

He left Sapphire soon after to make his report to Prince Diamond. Rubius could not stand to see what had the once brilliant scientist had become. Sapphire had done nothing to warrant such a hex being placed upon, but the Wise Man would not allow anyone to stand in his way, not Prince Diamond or his brother.

A sentry saluted Rubius and opened one of the large elegantly carved oaken door as the general swept past. Rubius stopped at the entrance and bowed to the white haired man seated on a marble and diamond throne.

The man seemed distracted, lost in a haze that left a dream-like expression on his handsome face. In his right hand he hand a glass of wine, a potent drink from the vineyards of Saturn. Rubius certain the drink had been laced by a powerful narcotic. Prince Diamond had been of late seeking more reckless adventures which were foolish in the eyes of his generals with their conquest almost secure.

Slowly, Diamond raised the glass to his lips. Before his throne a woman with bright green hair was making her report. Emerald noticed Rubius in the entryway; she inclined her head briefly before continuing.

Rubius and took a seat in a chair near the back of the room. He saw something move in the shadows behind Diamond's throne, he tensed slightly as the Wise Man came into the light. The cloaked man stood at the right of Diamond's throne. He laid one bony hand on the Prince's shoulder before whispering something into his ear.

Rubius was too far to hear what was being said, but he did see Emerald's shoulders tensed and her small hands ball into fists. Emerald wisely held her tongue. Prince Diamond took it as a personal affront if anyone verbally attacked or criticized his advisor. It was just another reason to revile the magician.

"Lord Rubius, how goes the war on your front?" Prince Diamond called out breaking Rubius' thoughts.

Rubius left his seat and approached the dais. Emerald moved beck, her presence was no longer required but as the commander of the Dark Moon forces in their present she wanted to keep abreast of the situation in the Twenty-first Century, which was where Rubius was fighting.

Rubius bowed to his Prince. "Your Highness, we have successfully captured the Senshi of Jupiter, Uranus, and Mercury. However we lost Lady Prisma."

"Yet you failed to bring Sailor Moon to me." Diamond said pointedly. His obsidian eyes slid over Rubius' in barely disguised contempt.

Rubius quickly lowered his head, "Forgive me, my Lord, but the Queen was not present during the battle. She is guarded by King Endymion's Generals and they have kept her hidden from my skilled spies." He risked a glance at his Lord's face and quickly averted his gaze. "Not even this latest attack on her guardians have been enough to drawn her out."

The sound of rustling cloth over stone made Rubius raise his head. "Your failure to capture the Queen of the White Moon in her vulnerable point has put our mission at risk." Wise Man told him.

Rubius bristled at the insult. He was sure that hack was laughing at him beneath that damned hood of his. Through clenched teeth Rubius told the magician, "King Endymion is also the King of Sol. He will not let the Queen go so easily. He is as much determined in the past as he is today to protect the Queen. Pray, Wise Man, if you have any suggestions on how my men and I could by pass the Priest of Elysium and the Celestials Guardians of Sol and also neutralize the Four Kings of Terra and the High King and his Golden Crystal, I gladly await your counsel."

There was a tense moment as the two glared at each other. Rubius knew he was on dangerous ground but he knew he was right. The intelligence the Wise Man had given Prince Diamond and his generals had been false when it came to the Terran King. Endymion was no weak-willed follower or quiet, meek husband of the most powerful monarch in the universe who faded into the background. Endymion stood as an equal with his Queen. The Dark Moon learned too late that the Terran King also matched his wife in power. His Golden Crystal was something to be reckoned with and he had used it to repel their forces for almost a year. It wasn't until Emerald has ordered to fill Terra with the Poison Black Crystals did the tide of the war changed in favor of the Black Moon.

Endymion, like all the other rulers in the Star System, was an ecopaths. And it was his bond to Terra which brought down her King. Emerald spies on the ground reported that the King had been moved, probably to Elysium, in effort to protect him from the crystals corruption. The Golden Crystal was now in the hands of Kunzite; Emerald believed that she had a chance to finally capture Atlantis.

Prince Diamond of course wanted Emerald to concentrate on Endymion's summer palace, Crystal Tokyo. It was where Queen Serenity lay in a coma.

"It's a suicide mission," Emerald was saying.

They had retired to Rubius private chambers to discuss battle strategies and troop organization.

Rubius offered her a glass of cognac, the real stuff, straight from Lord Nephrite's Palace in the Mu. Ah, the spoils of war. Rubius dropped down in a plush forest green chair and propped his feet up the matching ottoman.

"What can you do?" He asked. "By concentrating on the Crystal Palace you'll exposed and Kunzite will not hesitate to decimate your rear."

"Its madness," she cried in exasperation.

"Speaking of insanity, have you seen Sapphire lately?"

Emerald shuddered as a look of revulsion crossed her elegant features. "He has contracted the same sickness as the Prince."

"It was the only way the Wise Man could stop him from asking too many questions."

She agreed with him. Sapphire could have stopped his brother from make such a foolish mistake. He had been the voice of reason throughout this war. He was the one who proposed how to neutralize the Queen and he had come up with the idea of flooding Terra with the Poison Crystals. But soon after that victory that eliminated King Endymion, Sapphire was stuck by a strange illness.

Emerald shook her head to banish the melancholy thoughts. In two days she would return to Terra and lead her forces in an attack of Crystal Tokyo. If the Gods were with her, she would take the palace and the Queen. And maybe, just maybe, they could finally have peace. She finished her drink and took her leave of her friend. But before she could leave Rubius asked if she would check on their prisoners. Although he was no fan of the Senshi, Rubius would not condone abuse.

Rubius sat there for a moment. He finished off his drink and though of having another, but he really did not feel like getting up. He was tired, sick to soul, with little recourse for anything.

Behind him, his bedroom door opened and closed quietly. Rubius did not move as a pair of small, longer fingered hands settled lightly on his shoulders. Long, chestnut colored hair brushed the sides of his face and pooled in his lap as the woman knelt behind him and enfolded her arms about his shoulders.

"I thought you were asleep," he tipped his head back to brush a light kiss over the woman's petal soft cheek.

"I could not," she said softly. Large almond shaped eyes stared at the wall across from them. "I see my sisters in my dreams. Their deaths were horrific. I ache for them."

There was nothing he could say, he had sent each girl to her death and he had the gall to climb into bed each night beside their sister and hold her as she cried.

Avery must have sensed his inner turmoil because she tightened her hold about his shoulders and buried her face in his neck.

"I have our orders," he whispered. "We leave for the past tomorrow, our objectives are Sailors Venus, Saturn, Pluto, and Neptune."

The room was silent as the lovers allowed the impact of this mission wash over them. Rubius resented what he was being commanded to do. He was sending the woman he loved to her death. He closed his eyes as brought her hands to his lips.

"I am sorry," he said quietly.

"I will survive," she lied with tears standing in her eyes. "I'll come back to you. I promise."

**2**

Usa spotted Umino just before he entered the school gates.

It was still hard to believe that strange, awkward, studious youth that she known since primary school was in truth the King of Mars. It just didn't make any sense to her. But it was not her place to ban traveler from Terra, especially when they offered to help as Darien had been swift to point that out when she informed him of her edict. To say he took it well would have been the misquote of the year. To say he was furious just didn't cover the range of emotions the young King expressed when he learned of her high-handed approach of protecting his world without telling him.

And to make things worst, Darien made her call the Martian bastard last night so they could meet "officially". Apparently Darien and Ares seemed to think alike. Mars and Terra now had a truce and Darien had an ally who could and would aid Terra if any of the other planets decided to invade.

Did Usa forget to mention that she absolutely _hated_ Ares? That slimily, greasy little toad had the audacity to rub in her face that she did not have any formal treaties with Darien, nor did his sister, the Queen of fricking Venus, which why arrogant little pricks like the Ambassador from Uranus felt that he could and did snub, insult, and derided the Terran King.

Thankfully, Mina had gone home to work on their plans for going to the future otherwise, she would have eviscerated the Martian rat. That reminded her, she was yet to tell her Senshi that Ares (she would never call him Lugh again) was here.

This was starting to become too much for her, Usa admitted wearily. The demands of her kingdom and the other eight planets required more attention than she was capable of providing. She was needed on Silver Millennium even more than she was needed on Terra. Maybe Darien's treaty with Ares would allow her to visit her kingdom.

Once this ordeal with the Dark Moon was over with she give it more though, but right now she and Ares were going to have a very long and overdue talk.

With purposeful strides, Usagi went forward to meet her prey. Umino had come to a stop near the gates when he felt her presence. Feeling the need to gloat, the Martian ruler decided to allow Usa to reach him before entering the schoolyard. The broad smile on his pale face faded as look of horror covered his face. Usa realized that he was gaping at something behind her.

Time seemed to slow down then, Usa turned on her heel. Her large eyes doubled in size as her mouth fell open in shock.

"Usagi, get down!" She heard Molly shout of alarm before she was tackled to the ground.

Steel covered arms held her protectively against an armored chest. The smell of burning asphalt and scorched earth permeated the air along with the burned flesh. Usagi tried to pull free of her savior's tight embrace, but the person holding her would not let her move.

"You okay?" A very familiar, Spanish-accented voice asked worriedly.

She couldn't see a damned thing because of the way Jadeite was holding her and she hit by a wave of nausea as he took to the air a little to fast for her taste.

"Put me down, Menace," she growled. "You're making sick."

Just for that, Jadeite took another free falling dip then jetted back into the air. He was rewarded for his actions with a couple hits on his armored forearms and a few choice obscenities.

"Just calm down, Usagi," Jadeite said, his tone was all business now. "Kunzite ordered me to get you to our house."

"Why? What's happening?" She demanded. A cold fear gripped her heart when her Senshi failed to respond to her call.

In the distance a powerful explosion tore through downtown Juuban. Jadeite was forced to land as the shockwaves rippled through the air. He brought them down in an alley. Carefully, he set Usa on her feet. She hurried to the mouth of the alley to see what was happening only to be shoved back by a tide of people trying to fleeing the battle being in the heart of downtown Juuban.

There was another explosion, this was closer than the last. Usa cried out as the force of the impact threw her back into the alley.

"¡_Mierda_," Jadeite swore as he raced forward. He glanced back as Usa and said, "Looks like we have to fight, Babe."

**o.O.o**

Venus skillfully dodged Avery's attack but was unable to counter. Avery had the Venusian warrior successfully pinned down on the freeway. Venus was alone, separated from the other Senshi who were fighting off drones in various parts of the city which left her free to personally deal with their Captain. Avery lunched another attack at Venus only to watch it miss her again.

Venus darted through the rows of now abandoned cars, not really running from the fight, she was looking for something that she use beat that crazy bitch in the head with. Damn it, that witch had totaled her car when she bombed the freeway. That meant that Venus had lost more than her car, she had lost her two papers, her laptop, her purse that had everything in it, as well as her work from Venus and Silver Millennium. All that hell that she went through and the more that she would have to suffer through in replacing every last bit of it. Oh, hell no, that bitch had to die.

Venus spotted a tire iron hanging out of trunk of an abandoned Lexus. She grabbed it up and just in time too. Avery hovered in the air a few feet above her, amber energy crackling about her fist.

A wolfish grin appeared Venus' face as she raised the iron. Naw, she didn't need a sword for this bitch.

**o.O.o**

It was a worm hole. It was stupid little disturbance in Time and Space that the enemy had somehow mastered and was now using to kidnap her sister Senshi. Pluto didn't know what offended her more; the fact the enemy had taken her sisters by using the idiotic thing or that morons actually thought they could capture her by using her own element against her.

The idiots had a better of chance of Mercury developing hypothermia if they though they could take her prisoner with a blasted riff in the time stream. But oh, damnit, Trista was so angry. It infuriated just her so much that she wanted spit.

"Pluto!" Nephrite hollered over the wind created by that offending bit of annoyance. "What the hell are you doing?" He let out a yelp as he dodged a street sign that was being sucked into the vortex.

The same sign was coming towards her back, but stopped and disintegrated when it reached the outer fringes of the barrier that surrounded her. None of the chaos that affected Nephrite disturbed the Guardian of Time and the Underworld as she glared menacingly at that gaping black hole.

"I've had enough of this crap," she hissed. Plum coloured eyes narrowed as the Senshi of Pluto raised her crystal key staff. "You people have pissed me off," she roared. "_Chronos Typhoon!_"

Her attack struck home and destroyed the thing. But before it was destroyed, Pluto heard a voice inside the screaming in pain as her attack hit. She frowned. Whomever had been in there had to have been the summoner and the trace energy left in the Time Stream did not feel Terran.

Who or what was working with the Dark Moon?

And what did it want with Terra?

* * *

Saturn sat on the hood a black Navigator, her back to windscreen, with one leg bent at the knee and the other dangling off the side of the car. Her glaive was beside her well in reach incase the things went awry in Venus' fight with the Dark Moon chick.

She had stopped the enemy in her little of the woods with a quick Death Reborn Revolution. Her attack had brought the enemy up short and had taken out the destructive little wormhole that tried to appear. However, during the course of Venus' physical assault on the Dark Moon warrior Saturn realized that she had been rather hasty in getting rid of the freaks in her neighborhood. Obviously she had gone about the situation all wrong. She had but aside her Talisman in favor of something more rustic, like a bat.

Yeah, she always wanted to beat something to death with a wooden or aluminum bat. Yes, the was something satisfying about inflicting pain on other with methods that were not just wreaking havoc physically, but left mental scars as well. The people watching Venus pounding the Dark Moon girl in the head with a common, everyday tire iron would always remember seeing that. It was going stand out in their memories and cause them to shiver a bit in fear as they retell the story for years to come.

Oh well, next time she would find a bat or better yet she was put on in her subspace pocket and woe for anyone who dared to cross her path when she was swing that deadly instrument of suffering.

Thinking of her subspace pocket reminded Saturn of the breakfast bar she has shoved in there when she got the call that morning. She had just retrieved the treat when Kunzite dropped down beside the car.

The leader of the Generals took a moment to regard the lounging warrior before inquiring about her commander.

Saturn took a moment to open her snack and take a bite before pointing skyward.

He ignored her antics and directed his eyes to the sky, searching for Venus, this missing Saturn's lovely hand gestured directed at his head. Kunzite instantly spotted the two women in yellow battling it out it in the sky. Both were oblivious to crowds they had attracted in both the air and on the ground seeing that they were lost in defeating each other. Kunzite was puzzled as to why the pilots were taking such insane risks by flying so close to the pair until he saw the reason.

He had to double take to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him he cried, "Is that tire iron?"

"I told you that Venus was insane." She snorted. She began to chock when a crumb went down the wrong way.

Distractedly, Kunzite slapped her back a couple times before she coughing fit passed. "She a fucking lunatic," he hissed, his eyes did not leave the bizarre sight until he could watch no longer. "She's beating that woman in the head with tire iron." He said disgustedly. "Why didn't she just get a bat with nails or extension cord?"

Now it Saturn's turn to look at him strangely, "An extension cord?" One finely shaped raven brow rose slightly. "What the hell would she do with an extension cord? What's wrong with you, sick-o?"

Before he could reply, a body fell into Saturn's Navigator. Kunzite went for his sword, but he knocked off his feet sent sliding a good two hundred feet on his back with Saturn pressed tight against him. He started to demand what the hell was she doing when the car exploded. He cried out as the engine block came hurtling their way. Saturn forced him back to ground, purposely shoving her knee into his neck as she half turned with her glaive raised and extended forward. The engine and fire crashed harmlessly against Saturn's hastily erected black shield.

Kunzite looked up to see a roguishly grinning Saturn sitting up on his waist. She winked at him and said, "You promise not to tell Sam about this and I won't tell anyone that you scream like a little bitch."

Kunzite flushed embarrassed as he shoved her off. "Fuck off, Hotaru."

Unperturbed by his sullen disposition, Saturn stood up, laughing. "Oh, come off it, Dave, you know it turned you on."

"About as much seeing Frankie in a Speedo." He growled.

"Now that was uncalled," she pouted. "I look much better than the Menace."

"Do I want to know this?"

She shrugged. "Whatever."

Kunzite sighed, "Look, the leys are all messed up right now, do you think you could find Endymion for me?"

"I'm insulted. Of course I can find your precious little Prince, but I don't want to." With that she turned her back on him. "But since I am such a kind and generous person…Hmm, he's with Sailor Moon and the Menace. Pluto has just informed me that she, Nephrite, and Zoicite are with them and they are escorting them to a secure location."

Kunzite grabbed a lock of her hair and gave it a playful tug. She glanced at him over her shoulder and he smiled. "_Gurache_, Hota-chan, you are a truly the spirit of compassion and generosity."

"I know," she gently pulled her hair from his gauntlet covered hand. "I need to catch up with the others. You can stay here and help clean up this mess. Venus will know where we are."

"Are you saying I won't?" His left brow rose at the challenge.

"I saying keep an eye on Venus she still might have that tire iron." She winked at him. "Catch you later, Davy-boy." She called as she walked through a portal that appeared out of no where, leaving him to wonder about her mental state yet again.

The Senshi were an odd bunch, Kunzite decided. Thankfully they hadn't lost another; the emotional strain it was causing the girls was starting to spread to his men. It was going to be soon, Kunzite was sure of that. Hotaru had spoken to the Fates after Usagi and Darien had given the Fates permission to read Serena's life. Once they knew where and when the little girl had come from Trista was going to do a little recon before they all moved out to face the Dark Moon and rescue the girls.

For now, however, he needed to catch up with the others before he headed out for his classes (if they hadn't been cancelled.) Kunzite turned around, ready to call out to Venus when he came up short for the second time that morning.

Venus stood the wreckage of the SUV with the bloody tire iron in one hand and the severed head of Dark Moon warrior in the other. Blood was splattered the front of fuku, covering legs and in her hair. There was a jagged tear in her left glove that revealed a bleeding bite mark on her forearm. All in all, Venus looked like she savage warrior, not the angelic beauty that graced the covers of countless magazines. She was tired; her posture screamed that she ready to collapse that was at odds with the elated look in her bright golden eyes.

She dropped the tire iron and slung the head at his chest. Kunzite caught it before it slipped to the ground, he glanced at her questioningly. A wicked grin spread her lips as she shared her good news. "I know where my Senshi are." She said

He never expected that. "How?" As far as he knew the Fates had not finished reading Serena's life.

She nodded at the severed head, "Avery told me everything right before I ripped her head off."

Kunzite had noticed the pulled skin and the jagged rips and tears in the flesh along with the remnants of a spinal cord and esophagus that were still attached to the head. She was worst than his sister's cat. Thankfully Chuck Joy only brought home dead vermin and birds, not severed heads and limbs.

He did not let his disgust show as he inquired lightly, "So where are we off to, V-babe?"

"Thirty-first century, baby." She winked at him.


	16. The Dark Moon Family: Chapter VIII

_Do you guys have any idea how pages are in this story? Currently there are three hundred and thirteen pages. I am fifteen pages into chapter nine, which is the conclusion of this arch of the series, then I am moving on to the Pharaoh 99 arch and I am trying to decide should go with Yuri, (Neptune and Uranus) or het because I am tossing around the idea of Andrew and Neptune. I really don't care who Uranus ends with, I think I am bias because of _Consequences_, but I keep Uranus together in _The Four Kings_ and _This Is Why I Hate Our Friends. _I don't know, I am going toss a coin and let the fates decide._

_Anyway, ya'll know the drill. Read, review, and enjoy._

_Later, kids._

_Sean._

I don't own Sailor Moon, I am just a fan.

**Eight **

**I**

"Where the hell are the flying cars?"

Once that pointless and inane statement was made, the back of Jiro's head met the open palm of Dave's right hand in a rather loud smack by said High General who hadn't even bothered to glance at his subordinate prior to said head smacking.

Flying cars would have been nice, Dave mused as they all watched the fleet of black airships pass the over the ruined skyline of Tokyo. A low whistled escaped his lips in awe of the floating armada of crystal ships. Okay, flying crystal ships were kind of cool—in a completely totally gay like the Notebook kinda gay but with lasers, but they were not as impressive as a flying car.

Josh at least had the decency to shut up after that little bit of inanity thus sparing himself a slap upside the head, too.

All eyes turned front once more, but Dave took a glance over in Frankie's direction because it just wasn't insanity until Frankie added his two cents to mix. Surprisingly, no really, surprisingly Frankie was rather quiet for the moment. He had been since that morning, after having a private conversation with Mina in the guys' kitchen before they started on their little adventure into the future.

A frown marred Dave's features, he had meant to ask Frankie what had they talked about, but he had become distracted with last minute preparations that included drugging a three-year-old with Benadryl and checking over the wards Jiro and Frankie had laid about the Tsukinos house to protect them incase there was an attack while they were in the future. There hadn't been time to question the Menace while their band of intrepid warriors traversed the Corridors of Time since they had to fight off legions of Pluto's minions who had been fighting the enemy for God knew how long to protect their dimension.

The Plutonians did not care that Usa was there or that well, that she was there. They came and, bravely and quite foolishly, attacked that crazy bitch Mina head on. Mina took point with Hotaru taking the secondary position with and Trista holding the rear.

Dave had to wonder did the Plutonian warriors not know who those three warriors were or did they just think that the three girls would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers, not that it mattered, either way the results were not pretty. The Senshi were freaking psychos in battle.

Mina was wearing SAP gloves (weighted-knuckle gloves) and steel-toed boots and came armed with two expandable batons, when she moved forward, Mina just exploded into action. She was like Mike Tyson, Royce Gracie, and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. rolled into one. Her swings were quick and powerful, and she was fast. Each blow had to be about two thousand pounds of force coming down on bone or unprotected flesh. It was obvious that Mina was out to hurt as many people as she possibly could in the shortest amount of time and the guys were very happy to be on her good side.

Hotaru was no slouch, having taken the support position to Mina's rear and standing before the group, Hotaru was taking down all those who escaped Mina just as hard and fast as her commander. Hotaru had followed Mina's example with the SAP gloves and boots, but she had forgone the batons in favor of a kanabo. That glorified version of nail bat, was deadly in most hands, but in Hotaru's, the kanabo was freaking nightmare. She was like Barry Bonds swinging for fences before turning to shaft and her armored fist and boots.

Holding the rear with nothing but a gun staff was Trista. She moved like Jasmine Simhalan with the flare of Donnie Yen. Trista used the staff as if it was an extension of her body and not just a weapon. It was easy to forget that Senshi were trained physical combat and that they all had all mastered in more than a few martial arts disciplines in their previous lives and practiced today to recapture those quick and deadly accurate movements that separated them from all other warriors of their empire. The Senshi were the Elite of the elite in the art of war, they were the Special Ops, the last line of defense between the enemy and the throne—To look at them now, the Generals knew that this was a long awaited return for them as they proved they were worthy of their titles and positions in the Patheneon of the great warriors and heroes.

The guys had to stand back and watch the three warriors go at like gangbusters, against a well-trained mob that refused to give up a single inch. Yet the Senshi were not dissuaded as they fought for every bloody quarter to move their group forward. The Generals would have gladly fought along side them, but they were bound by an oath sworn on their Prince's life that they would not raise an arm against the Guardians of Chronos except to defend themselves and their Prince, Trista had been adamant about that. Dave and the guys could not attack the guardians they could only defend themselves until one of the Senshi reached them. That had been one nerve-racking experience for all of them and not one of them was disappointed when they finally reached the Gates of the Future.

After a brief respite, Trista led them into thirty-first century and into a war zone.

The awe and fascination had worn off and now Mina taken the over the lead and they were running towards a crystal spire in the distance.

Their progress came to an immediate halt when a bomb when off twenty meters in front of them. There was a terrible oppression that suddenly clouded the Senshi the senses, it felt as if they were moving in a fog. In the center of the protective circle, Andrew complained a buzzing in his ears and sudden headache. Darien complained of the same, as did the Generals. The Senshi did not.

For them the world had become startling clear. The barriers they had erected for themselves that divided the dimensions and the heavens fell from their eyes and minds. This was bad because it was a part of their glamour. It allowed them to be in a sense terran.

Never in the guys' life had they seen the blood drain someone's face as fast as it left the girls and had the situation been different the sight would have been hilarious. Unfortunately this wasn't a different situation and this was anything but funny. Sadly this reveal the magnitude of the damage that had been done to Terra and rather plainly how royally fucked up this entire mess was.

The Senshi were all but blind.

They had no magic to defend or attack.

No magic meant that the magic used to stabilize the Senshi's glamour meant they had precious little time until the weight of gravity crushed Usagi. The weight of Trista's and Hotaru's bodies would increase, thus making them too heavy to move and they would die from lack of blood circulation and/or asphyxiation along with Mina, who be killed from the lack of sulfur in the air.

Time was now a precious commodity and it was running out.

Dave took charge of the immediately. He rushed forward, grabbing Mina around the waist, tossing her over his left shoulder like a sack of potatoes before setting off at a dead run before she could even mount a protest.

Josh had grabbed Hotaru and Frankie had Trista. Usagi was perched on Darien's back while Jiro had the double duty of carrying a sleeping (still drugged on Benadryl) Serena and pulling Drew along.

The pace was faster than their initial race through the war torn city, but fear was great motivators and everyone silently thanked Frankie for being a Parkour fanatic and forcing them all to join him in frenetic exercise and for making them stick with it. They raced up walls, leapt over wreckage, fell from high perches as they avoided all the mini-battles going throughout the city. Dave had just reached the outlying shadows of what looked like a field of silver crystals when Mina took her first gasping, choked breath. It sounded more like am agonized wheeze. Behind him Frankie and Josh grunted as the weight on their backs suddenly increased.

"Usa, hold on," Darien cried out frantically. "We're almost there. Just hold on."

Where were they almost near? That crystal spire was a like a beacon in the darkness, but Dave did not know why the Senshi had decided it was where they should go of all places. Besides it was too late for them to change their minds, especially now as a platoon of soldiers in—was that dark blue?—high-tech body armor approached them.

Dave recognized the royal crest of Terra on the breastplate of the soldiers and his own insignia on the right shoulder on the soldier in the lead. Without another thought, Dave hurriedly removed Mina from his shoulder and steadied her on her feet. Mina's glamour had worn off revealing her truth face.

"Help them," he gasped. He was out of breath and bleeding from a gash on his right side. "The Senshi are dying."

After that, everything was a blur to the General. The Terran soldiers did not stop to ask questions or try to detain the group of time travelers.

They were rushed through a magical barrier, the masked commander shouted for medics even as he rushed forward, now carrying Mina in his arms. A team of medics met them at main doors of the white marble palace. Dave barely spared the place a glance before his attention was diverted to the soldiers who had surrounded Darien and Usa. There was a brief hesitancy, before Usa was quickly yet gently removed from Darien's back before being teleported inside the palace.

They were taken to the triage center, where Andrew rolled up his sleeves and asked where he could help. There was only a moment of surprise when people began to recognize the King's personal physician, yet quickly pushed aside because the understaffed and overworked team of doctors, nurses, and volunteers were grateful for the additional capable hands.

The situation of the ground was bad. Dave and his men were led away from their Lord by the masked warrior who was yet to identify himself. The Senshi were not in triage, there would be no help for them there anyway. Dave and the others were taken further inside the palace, to the heart of Asian defense operation. And Dave met his met himself, one thousand years in the future.

That annoying static in her ears had finally stopped. Slowly, Usa opened her eyes and the world came into focus. Rather the sharpness that had made the terran world alien to her senses had been dulled and she was seeing the everything through a magical filter. She closed her eyes again as she turned her face down to the pillow she had been resting against.

They had survived. Some how Darien and the others had gotten them to the Lunar Embassy and they were in Crystal Tokyo.

The second thing she noticed was that the air was no longer pressing down on her.

Slowly, Usa pushed herself up on her forearms. Her long braid fell over her shoulder as she took in her current surroundings. The fact that slight weight was not crushing her throat confirmed that she was alive and safe from the menace of Terra's gravity.

She was in a bedroom, hers by the look of it. The room was how she remembered her mother's suite on Silver Millennium. The ivory silk wallpaper, the elegant, plush furnishing, the vast array of books and artwork that seemed to be tossed about suggested that she never stayed in this room; more that it was an overflowing closet with a daybed.

Carefully, Usagi swung her legs over the side of bed; her feet touched a plush, deep pile rug that she sank into once she was standing. A pair of simple white slippers lay in a small pile near an overstuffed chair. With shoes on her feet and the world off her back, Usa opened the door and stepped out in the corridor. Waiting was a young man leaning against the opposite wall.

He was a young, a little bit older than her with long black hair and bright blue eyes. He wore a uniform similar to what she remembered the Royal Terran Guard had worn during Queen Gaia's reign

"Queen Serenity," He greeted politely.

It sounded more like a question, that why Usagi nodded her head. "I am she." She replies formally.

"Welcome to Crystal Tokyo, your Majesty." He said somberly.

Her guide did not lead Usa to her friends, though he did inform her of their whereabouts within the palace. Andrew was assisting in the makeshift medical wing and her Senshi were recovering away from the general populace. Usagi's guide, whose name was Kasim, Commander of the Mesopotamia Province, did not take Usa to her friends but to the command center of all of Terra.

Usagi did not miss how the soldiers stared openly at her before bowing as she passed. It did not surprise Kasim when the once dispirited warriors straightened their spines and stood fearless as they proudly announced "The Queen approaches" raced along their path. The small girl at his side had started at the first few booming calls, but smiled as the eager, desperate faces of the citizens begin to appear in the balconies and beside the soldiers.

The sight of the Queen of the Silver Alliance even as a child had the effect of a blazing sun throughout the palace. Her very presence only after a few minutes was burning away the gloom, the fear, and the hopelessness that had settled over palace and the people hiding there and they rejoiced.

Their Queen was here.

Darien knew that he would never be a doctor. He attended the lectures, did the necessary course work, and all else required a medical student, but he knew deep down that he would never be on this side of operating table once he finished last internship. Looking about at the men and women at the conference table, Darien knew that his place would be at lead, the head of nation, the chief commander, the King of Terra.

He could hear his people cheering his girlfriend with the wild abandon that those who knew her could only feel. Yet his presence had been concealed from the moment he entered the palace grounds. He was a target to the enemy and his people were not going to allow the enemy an easy victory by picking him off before he was crowned thus he was spirited away almost as soon as he stepped foot in the palace to this secret room where only the King and his closest advisors sat in conference

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Darien was looking at the man he would become some day and it was seriously freaking him out. King Endymion did not tower over men, he was not bluff or blusterous. He looked just like Darien except that he was older, wore his glasses, and apparently did not believe in the gym. Seriously, the guy could pass for a stick figure for all the muscle he had.

It was quiet, calm intelligent air the man gave off that commanded the respect of the people seated at the table and those of his subjects. He was a good man, Darien admitted proudly, he was a good man and a good king…He was everything Darien wanted to be as a man…and this very good king was dying.

The Black Moon intelligence was inaccurate in announcing King Endymion's death. He was taking the brunt of the Black Moon's attack, sparring Terra the worst by absorbing the planet's shock as the black crystals filled the earth. He didn't elaborate beyond that time was short for such explanations. He wanted to focus of Black Moon's next attack.

Common wisdom would have them attack Atlantis. It was last Terran stronghold and as far all were concerned it was place were Kunzite held the Golden Crystal. If they wanted to end the war, it would be logical to attack there. But the Black Moon wasn't logical. With victory nearly in grasp, the enemy shifted their focus and begins to lay siege on Endymion's gift to his wife, the crystal palace, Crystal Tokyo. The people on the Nihon Islands fled to the mainland, yet those who had not been able to flee ran to the Queen's palace.

Crystal Tokyo, like the Golden Palace, was re-enforced with the magic of the Golden Crystal. The crystal's magic was infused in every slab of quartz and marble that made the palace. It was a stronghold but it was not main residence of the Royal Family and the King and his Generals doubt the few refugees huddled here would be viewed as much of prize for anyone to waste the effort to lay siege on the islands. It was a waste of resources and it had allowed for the Terran army to regroup and put a strong defense around Atlantis and begin a counter attack. All the continents were ready and mobilized, their traditional weapons had been adapted and fused with energy from both the Golden Crystal and Elysium. And with the enemy focused on Crystal Tokyo, King Endymion knew that victory would be theirs.

Still he wondered why the enemy had taken their eyes off of his Capitol and royal seat. He looked at the boy he had once been as he could help. Darien was engrossed with the three dimensional holographic map that showed the entire planet surface in real time. Currently the map showed the Nihon Islands. The enemy fleets were moving back away from Edo and were concentrated on just beyond the Juuban District.

"What the hell are they waiting for?" Darien muttered to himself, so he was naturally surprised when the King answered.

"They want to penetrate the palace defenses." Endymion replied.

"I get that," Darien frowned thoughtfully, "But for what purpose? What's here that they would risk loosing this entire war to have?" He met the King's gaze then, "The enemy believes that your body is at Atlantis and your heir is in Elysium. Coming here is just a waste of time and stupid."

A rueful smile danced across the King's lips, "If we knew the answer to that, my dear boy, then this war would over."

Mina looked about the elegant room she had been led too and was forced to fight down the growl that tried to slip past her lips each time the damned door open and it wasn't Darien or Usagi on the other side.

When she came to, Mina found herself in what could have only been described as her room.

She did not take time to examine the place, as she wanted to get a handle on the situation. She quickly pulled on her armored boots and grabbed up her gloves. She had no expectation on seeing herself moving about the palace for indications stated that she was incapacitated or dead.

When she opened the door, Mina had been met by dark haired young man with blue eyes who led her to this antechamber where Trista and Hotaru were waiting with cups of tea and sandwiches.

Tired and hungry, the Senshi were grateful for the repast though they were far from content. They had been brought to this chamber, each after she had awoken in a strange room that was obviously their own. They each met the same stoic young man who brought them to the chamber and left them there without a word about each other or their Queen and neither of them liked it.

After what could have been an hour since Mina's arrival the still silence was broken by a ruckus cheering that seemed to fill the palace halls. The Senshi were on their feet immediately and halfway to the opulent double doors when they opened to allow Dave and the others to enter.

"Girls," Jiro cried out in relief when he saw three women on their feet.

"What's going on," Mina snapped at them, "Where have you been? What in the hell is going on here?"

Dave bristled at her tone. After all that he and his men had done to ensure their survival and that they made to Crystal Tokyo, this was how Mina thanked them.

With anger burning his eyes, Dave stepped forward with his mouth ready to tell the ungrateful little bitch off only to snap his jaw shut when a side panel moved in the rear of the room and in stepped Darien. The Senshi had moved into defensive positions but immediately relaxed when they saw who it was.

Before any of them could blink, Mina was in her brother's arms. Tears of worry and relief poured down the girl's face as she rained kisses over her missing brother's face while she scolded him for making her worry.

Darien just held her tightly. He had never been more scared in his life than when he saw the girls lose their glamour. Panic and fear had fueled him as he race across Tokyo to reach the palace. Dave had won his life long gratitude for saving his sister.

"Min, you can let him go now," Trista said gently, "Besides we have quests"

Mina looked past Darien's shoulder and felt her heart stop. A mournful cry rose from lips before she tore herself from her brother's arms to rush over to the ailing King of Terra. Mina stopped just before she reached him, her hazel eyes took in his figure from head to toe, seeing the ravages that sickness had left on his body.

A soft, sad smile made its way onto King Endymion's pale lips as he look at his beautiful sister's ageless face

"Hello, Mina," he whispered.

An odd keening sound escaped the Venusian warrior as she reached out to touch her brother's face. She sobbed softly as she tenderly embraced him.

"Oh, my darling," she gasped. "I will make them suffer for your pain, Darien. Their rivers and oceans will run red with their blood and their cities will burn and the people will know fear as daily pray for I will not allow your sacrifice be in vain, little brother." She promised brokenly.

"I will be fine," he tried to assure her but they knew that he was lying. The three Senshi could see death all around him. It was just his will and the power of the Golden Crystal that kept his ravaged body going. He reached up, taking one of her hands into his before turning to greet the others in the room. "My young friends, though these are not auspicious time for my kingdom or this star system, I welcome you to the Golden Century on the behalf of the people of Terra and her Supreme Imperial Majesty, Queen Serenity of the Silver Empire."

Hotaru and Trista inclined their heads formally, while the generals genuflected before their king.

Mina hugged the King's arm carefully as he moved to a small settee near an unlit white marble fireplace. Darien choose chair opposite of them while the others made themselves comfortable in various places in the room. The time for small talk was over, with three Senshi and the Queen, the tide of this war was truly in their favor.

**II**

Instead of taking Usagi to her friends, Kasim led Usa deeper into the palace proper.

Had she felt threaten Usa would have not hesitated to defend herself. No, what she felt was odd sense of magic that was becoming stronger the closer they moved towards it. She recognized it as the same healing magic that surrounded her when she awoke earlier. It was similar to her own magic, but it was older and frightfully power even in it's dormant state.

"It's right through here, Majesty," Kasim told her.

Usa looked up at the large ornamental wood doors with a sense of foreboding. Once she entered the chamber, Usa knew her life would forever be altered.

Kasim looked back at her, his gaze steady, "Majesty."

Was she ready to face her destiny? The doors opened, Usagi took a deep breath before she stepped inside.

She could do this. She had nothing to fear.

In the brilliant room was an altar made of Imperial Silver Crystal. Power was beating down on her even though it drew her near. All the power of the universe rested here, in a tomb of silver crystal the body of one woman.

"She is my mother," Kasim said softly.

Usagi looked at him sharply but the boy was looking down at the sleeping woman in the crystal. "You are Serena?"

He touched the crystal delicately his gaze never left his mother's face. "She was my older sister. She died when we were children. There had been accident in one of the gardens and she had drowned…" He still did not turn to face the girl as he continued to speak. "I apologize for my deception for pretending to be Serenity, yet, I will not apologize for brining you here." He turned to Usa then and fell to his knees before her. "Please, Sailor Moon, I beg of you as the Crown Prince of Terra and your heir, I humble myself before you and beg for you to please save my mother. Please, only you have the power to awaken her from this terrible sleep and save my kingdom and her people. Please, Sailor Moon, please save my mother."

"…and now you believe that banished criminal is the source of this current malcontent?" David asked the King.

Endymion nodded, "All we've gather seems to support that general theory."

It was now midmorning and they were in the King's strategy's room in a video conference with all the commanders on the field and elsewhere in Terra. The Senshi and the Generals were brought up to speed on the current situation as well as given background information on the enemy.

"You must understand Lord David," a female general with long red hair and blue eyes who had introduced as Lt. Commander Vesta added, "It was not their Majesties' decision to allow the Death Phantom to live, his life was spared due to interference of the Orion Galaxy. He is the son of the King—"

"He had diplomatic immunity then?" Mina growled.

"Yes, Majesty." Vesta nodded.

"Why not return him to Orion then. He was proven himself danger to Silver Millennium and the Queen, why did you keep him here?"

"Orion refused to accept him." She told them. "He had tried to murder his own brother, the current heir as well as his brother's children to gain Orion's throne."

"Thus his father refused to kill his murderous bastard so he just banished him to our universe without warning and he expects our Queen to set him loose on another Star System." Trista was incensed, "How dare those cowards put our Lady at such a risk."

"Why didn't the Queen just ignore Orion and return the fiend home?" Hotaru asked.

"Orion went to the Intergalactic Court to force Silver Millennium to keep the creature. Instead of drawing out the legal battle, the Queen condemned Prince Soros aka the Death Phantom to life imprisonment in solitary confinement in the deepest, darkest pits on Nemesis."

"It was meant as a death sentence," a slightly older version of Josh told them. "By all rights he should have died there. He was stripped bare and left chained to a wall in the deepest gorge on Nemesis with no food or water and no one to give him any aid."

"Nemesis was a prison colony until two hundred years ago," the woman picked informed them. "The most dangerous criminals in the Empire were sent there with nothing but the clothes on their backs and two weeks worth of rations. Those that survived managed to create a type of society there and it is the descendants of those prisoners we are now fighting. Nemesis, or rather the Dark Moon, had tried to enter Alliance but they refused to recognize the authority of the line of Serenity. They also reject the current heir, whom they declared tainted due to his Majesty being the father."

"Though their ancestors came from different planets, the people of Nemesis claim to be terran." Endymion told his young guests. "Why they chose Terra, I doubt that we will ever know. Originally, terran made up less than one percent of the population sentenced to Nemesis."

"Why so few?" Mina asked.

"Terra is the only planet in the Alliance that practices corporal punishment." Lord Nephrite, the older one, answered for his king. "Our King does not take kindly to those that threaten his family."

"The people of the Dark Moon claimed a terran heritage though Terra refused to acknowledge them for political and proprietary reasons. Nemesis is one of two moons of Pluto and large number of the prisoners sent there had been Plutonian. Pluto still claims Nemesis and has not recognized its independence or the de facto government."

"How were they able to launch a massive offensive against the universe without anyone noticing?" Josh asked.

"They had a sympathizer in the Queen's court." Lord Zoisite said. "We found out too late and by then the war for Terra had begun."

"What of the Queen?" Mina asked him.

"She was the first causality."

The sound of the air raid sirens had those few survivors still within the city along with the soldiers moving to find shelter to wait out the Dark Moon's air strike. Images of flying crystal ships slowly moving into Edo's airspace was intimidating for those who had survived thus far but it was in no way deterred them.

The shields around the city were raised as all ground artillery was mobilized and prepared to defend the city. Naval destroyers off the coast of Nihon made up a barricade around the island were ready and with jets already scrabbling to take to the air. Three squadrons of aerial gunships were coming in from the mainland, their ETA was six minutes before the Dark Moon reached Crystal Tokyo.

Mina assured him that was all the time she needed. Standing up, the three Senshi joined hands in a rough semi-circle and infused it with their power before they teleported from the palace. They appeared briefly on screen, hovering in the sky above Crystal Tokyo before jetting away into the coming dawn in four streaks of lights disappeared into the distance just as the doors of the Situation Room was thrown open with guards shouting that Queen was gone.

Darien surged to his feet, ready to go after his girlfriend only to be stopped by the Dave. They would go, but Darien would stay in the palace.

Emerald was aghast.

Since beginning her campaign against Terra, she faced strong opposition from Lord Kunzite and his fellows and in some instances the battles had been too close to call or ending with a stalemate that forced to her retreat before attempting to attack anew. That had been the established form of battle, two civilized strategic leading a very traditional war.

It was safe to say that Emerald had never faced a Senshi before that moment. And prior to this first view of them in battle, everything she had known about them was an utter lie.

The people of the Dark Moon had viewed the Senshi's roles as largely ceremonial with and somewhat religious in nature. For they were the avatars of the Gods, not Gods themselves who sat upon the thrones of the nine planets casting aperients against those they thought beneath their dainty heels.

All that she had known as truth was Emerald believed right up to the moment Queen Freyja of Venus brought down three of Emerald's gun ships in under two minutes with nothing more than a sword and her own body.

Not to be out done was Persephone of Saturn and Neti-Edra of Pluto proved to be just as deadly as their commander, as all three tore through the Emerald's fleet with a single-minded determination that was frightening in it's brutality.

For the first time since this war began, Emerald knew fear. This was a foe that she could not fight, a merciless nightmare that would not be stopped nor show compassion. She could see them standing together on the wreckage of her the ship that was yet to fall into the sea. Three women warriors, blood-soaked, and savage.

Her order to retreat was too late for Senshi had slammed down a temporal barrier that closed off their entry wormhole and kept them locked into place like a slaughter pen and the Senshi decimated them. Five minutes, there was nothing of Dark Moon's Grande Armada remained except for her flagship. Emerald stood alone contemplating her next course of action. Her one hand hovered over the self-destruct button, the other held her side arm. On screen she watched the monsters as they fed on the carrion that was left in the wake of their destruction. Emerald waited until the last pod cleared the blast zone, she having given her crew the order to escape when she realized the terrible situation they had found themselves in. If they hit the water her crew would picked up by the Terran Navy. Lord Kunzite was merciful man and Emerald knew he would not kill her crew out of spite.

She closed her eyes then, she did not want her last images of this life to be of demons. She though of her friends and how far they had dared to come.

Diamond, Sapphire, Rubius, and she…

A tear slipped down her cheek as she pressed the button but her hand was captured before she could move. Her eyes snapped open to see one of the demons standing before her. Emerald quickly raised her side arm only to have the pistol slapped away and her face slammed down on the console with blood and teeth exploding from her face.

Mina brought her face down close to the woman's ear and sneered, "Did you honestly think you were going to escape us that easily?"

**III**

"That was it? That was your big plan?" Darien continued to rave as he stormed about the control room.

"Dare, please," Mina said wearily, "will you just listen?"

The angry youth whirled on his sister, he looked ready to put his fist in her face. "To what, Min?" he gritted out. "What the hell do you have to say about you fucking up?"

Mina's eyes narrowed dangerously, "This was her plan."

~. .~

She had not felt this exhausted since last summer when she had foolishly challenged Ami to race in the ocean. Her body felt worn out and her head was heavy. At the same time it felt as if something was pressing down on her senses. There was no real force behind it, just whatever it felt thick and gummy, it was not a very pleasant feeling.

Despite her weariness, Usa forced herself to sit up and take in her surroundings only to stop when she felt cool air brush across bare back and shoulders.

She looked down quickly and saw that her pink hoodie, yoga pants, and her white trainers were gone. The damn bastards had even removed her tee shirt and her bra. Her clothes had been replaced by some retarded looking gown with a polyester sheen that was just screaming cheap and she wasn't talking about the cost of the tacky thing either.

Seriously, did her captors not know how old she was? She hated to think someone had gotten their jollies while she was out cold.

Forcing down her revulsion, Usa slowly rose from the day bed she had occupied to face the creep that had been watching her all this time. The Queen of Silver Millennium looked upon the Dark Moon Family.

From his dais, Prince Diamond watched the woman he swore he would possess as she slowly moved across his throne room on her delicate little feet. She was at present no more than a child, yet even so young she still stirred a terrible longing within him that no other woman had been able to quench.

He watched as she carefully scanned the members of his court. He noted with amusement that she did not appear to afraid of her circumstances. His thin lips quirked slightly at her arrogance. She was too spoilt, her faith in her Senshi and her King had made her overly confident and reckless. He would take great pleasure in showing her her proper place.

Finally those large gray eyes settle on him and Diamond smirked.

"Welcome to the Dark Moon Kingdom, Highness." He called down to her.

Only years of discipline kept Usa from spiting in his face. That condescending bastard, she snarled viciously, she was going to rip his damned balls off and stuff them down his smirking lips.

Raising herself up to her full height, Usa stared down at the cretin. "I wish to speak to your leader." She demanded.

The pretender of the throne seemed to think that she was idiot. He sat back and gesture at himself. "I am the lord of this castle and this domain." Then he smirked, "And soon I will the ruler of this vast star system."

Usa's eyes narrowed just a fraction as she watched the inverted black seemed to wrinkle then fold in on itself to look at a third eye. From behind her, Usa heard the members of the "court" make frightening noises as they shuffled back the towards the wall in cowering in fear. She kept her eyes on the pretender, she felt no change in his aura that would qualify this rapid change his minion's demeanor. Confused, but unafraid, Usagi took a step forward and the terrible silence fell over the Dark Moon court.

Diamond had stopped smiling.

~. .~

Darien started as his sister as if he had not understood her. The words kept running through his head but they failed to make sense.

Mina watched him worriedly.

"She chose to do this?" Josh cried aghast. "Why would Usa do such a thing?"

Mina looked at Darien before turning to face his men. "This is the best option that we had to rescue the others and strike a critical blow to the enemy, we not going to waste the opportunity—"

"Opportunity? What opportunity?" Darien demanded. "Usa was captured by—"

"Do you think I don't know that?" Mina snapped back. "I volunteered." She gestured back at other Senshi, "We all volunteered but she refused us all. The Queen understood that we need to hit the enemy and hit them hard. It is the only reason why she there and we are not!"

"Why would she do such a thing?" This time it was Drew, who had finally rejoined the group, asked. "She's just one girl against an entire freaking planet?"

The Senshi were silent but they all understood: Usagi was the strongest.

~. .~

He could hear Sapphire screaming as he tried to pull him away. Rubius, the last of his generals was an incinerated pile of smoking ash, his body was degenerated when he threw himself before his Prince when the Queen of Silver Millennium began her assault.

Diamond did not understand how it had gone wrong. Nothing made sense as he watched the same girl in the blue and white battle dress move towards him like a wraith, power rolling off her in waves as she wrought chaos down on his world.

Why had his third eye failed him? He had used it to capture her and bring her Nemesis. She should have been cowering before him, begging for mercy then offering herself up in sublimation, proving that he, Diamond, was the most powerful entity in the star system.

Rubius had been first to fall, he had seen what Diamond had ignored, the Silver Crystal was glowing and floating above the girl's clenched fist. There had been one moment of confusion after the girl had done what everyone in the court had thought impossible: She ignored Prince Diamond's third eye and moved. She came running towards him shouting out a battle cry as she leapt in the air towards him with the deadly glowing crystal in her right fist. Diamond was shocked by this to react when the started to raise her right hand. Then Rubius was there, pushing his Prince out of the line of fire taking on the full brunt of her mystical assault. The Queen landed on the pile of smoldering ash in deep crouch, the layers of white silk, long silver hair, and magical residue floating falling around her body. Yet before it all could settle, the little Queen was moving again, this time she had sword in her hands. She came at Diamond, running as her warrior's dress flowed over her body her body, burning away the gown he had dressed her in.

Diamond was more than terrified now. How was what she was doing even possible? She should have been helpless on Nemesis, her crystal should have been neutralized and no more dangerous than any other shining bauble

Yet here she was, doing what Diamond had been told was impossible. And she was trying to take his bloody head.

His castle was falling down around him, his Royal Guard was trampling each other in a desperate attempt to escape collapsing castle and the nightmare that was the Queen of Silver Millennium.

The castle split and fragmented on its foundation, causing the support pillars to buckle bringing the entire structure down on their heads. Prince Diamond could only stare helplessly as his world fell down around him while the Queen, his most longed for obsession, opened a portal that she and the her newly rescued Senshi escaped just in Castle Nemesis exploded in, killing all those unfortunate to have been stuck in the remains of the wreckage and five kilometer radius surrounding the castle.

Diamond watched from the protection of the Wiseman's cave, where he and his brother had been pulled just before his castle and the city surrounding it went up in ball of flames. The ground shook, the air reverberated as continuous sonic booms that disrupted all air travel and media traveling over the airwaves before Nemesis went dark.

Rioting happened soon after, the people, his people, needed him and for a moment his mind was clear of the Wiseman's illusions and in that moment of clarity Diamond was struck by desolation and loss—the horror of the reality done while he…while he…whi-le…he…

"No, back into your dreams, little Princeling," the mocking voice of the Death Phantom crooned in his ears, drawing Diamond back into his web of obsessions and lies.

The Death Phantom crackled as the young Queen raced back to Terra, fleeing from him and the nightmare he wrought. But soon she would not a place to run, and then the Silver Crystal and this universe would be his.

The palace was a blur of action. Sailor Moon appeared in the courtyard with her captured Senshi. Andrew pushed his way through to crowd with his Josh and others on his heels. Mina was suddenly there. She called out Trista's name, the gates between the dimensions opened and the original party suddenly found themselves thrust in the Twenty-first century.

Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Kamen, and the Generals burst into the Juuban Metropolitan Hospital in the wee hours of dawn carrying the four missing girls calling for doctors. The confused hospital staff could barely understand what was happening never mind asking questions. It wasn't until Dr. Marie Mizuno strolled into ER as she was leaving that anyone started to move.

She saw her daughter's friends standing middle of the Emergency Room in full battle costume. She frowned in confusion wondering why they were there then she saw the dark blue hair of her daughter, resting against Frankie's armored chest.

Dr. Mizuno rushed forward, her handbag and cashmere coat falling from her hands as she blindly pulled out her stethoscope while snapping out orders to the nurses. The shock of seeing the heroes quickly wore off and everyone was now a blur of motion. The generals quickly carried each girl to a room and were promptly pushed out as the teams of doctors and nurses went to work.

Usagi wanted to stay with her friends. Ami, Lita, and Alex had been awake and alert while on Nemesis, it was during the temporal displacement that their bodies finally surrendered to the strain of exhaustion that had been under for the last two weeks.

But it was Rei whose condition that was the most worrying her friends. Rei had been on Nemesis far longer than and exposed to the pollution of the Black Crystal. She was incredibly pale and malnourished. Rei most likely had refused to eat whatever was presented to her out of fear of the drugs or poison.

Kamen knew how Usa had felt but they could not stay, it would raise too many suspicions and if the wrong people started connecting the dots, life as they knew would be over too soon, so they left before the police could arrive or before members of the hospital staff could ask questions.

Marie snapped a quick order off at one of the nurses to fetch her things near the elevator, listed on her phone in her contacts list were name of the parents of her daughter's friends.

Within the hour the Tsukinos and Rei's family were crowded into the waiting room on the hospital's private floor. All four girls had moved to individual rooms and were still with doctors and nurses while their families waited anxiously for them.

Usagi huddled on a loveseat with her mother, both clinging to each other despite with wide, desperate eyes. In another corner of the room sat Rei's grandfather and her stepmother. Her father stood next to a window nursing a cup of coffee as he stared aimlessly at the nighttime view of downtown Juuban. He was still trying to come to terms with his daughter being an alien entity and the Princess of the Mars no less. His attention drifted back towards the young man pacing anxiously near the entrance.

Hino-sama still did not understand who the man was or why was he had come, but a minor scuffle with security, Hino-sama's father allowed the man to stay. The youth parked himself at the entrance, peering anxiously down the hallway every few seconds. He seemed unaware of how his behavior affected the others. Once he was allowed to stay, he just seemed to forget that the all existed.

Hino-sama was now at the end of his patience. He could not take his frustrations out on the Tsukino girl even though he felt that deserved some, in not all of the blame for his daughter haven been taken. Nor could he lay the blame on his father. His father had taken care of Rei since she was toddler much to his shame. His father had been both father and mother to his daughter while he lived his life. Even after he had remarried, knew he should have brought Rei back to his home. He other children, a new family, it just never seemed right to bring Rei into a house filled with strangers…It was his shame that was turned into rage for all these strangers that had come into his daughter's life and taken his place.

His hands closed in tightly around the paper cup and he turned to face the room, his eyes locked on the fretting youth who still did not notice them.

"You there," Hino-sama snarled, "Boy, just who are you? Why are you here?"

The tension in the room was now overbearing, Usa could feel the agitated emotions swirling about Rei's father but it was nothing compared to the palpable fear and rage that cloaked the King of Mars.

Usa shuddered to think of how Lugh would have reacted had Rei's grandfather not allowed him to stay. Usa had whispered to her parents the identity of the stranger. Usa had to stop her mother from speaking to him, when she wanted to offer her condolences and good wishes. When it came to his sister, Lugh was not one of the most rational individuals.

When he failed to get a response, Hino-sama stormed over to the apparent boy and grabbed his right shoulder to force him to face him only quickly jerk his hand back with a painful yelp.

Usa started to rise, ready to intercede, but stopped at the sound of Rei's grandfather's voice.

"Hiro, you offend your daughter's honour by attempting to antagonize the one person who would willing sacrifice the world for her."

"Who is he then?" Hiro demanded as whirled on his father. "Another alien from her past life? Is this her lover or her husband?"

"No, I am neither." Lugh nearly spat at the mortal he hated. "I am her only family and she is mine. I am Ares, King of Mars and brother of Princess Brighid."

Hiro and his wife stared in shock at the handsome youth who they could now see bore a striking resemblance to Rei. He had the same dark red hair, violet eyes, and delicate features wrapped in porcelain.

Before anyone could speak Marie appeared at the entrance and told them they could see the girls.

Usa moved through each of the rooms to visit with and reconnect with her Senshi, moving first Lita, Ami, and Alex before going to see Rei, who had her family. When she arrived outside her friend's door she could here the angry voices of Rei's father and Lugh.

Usa glanced into the room with a weary sigh. Lugh was seated on Rei's bed, their fingers were intertwined and Usa's friend seemed to be sleeping peacefully despite the verbal war that was going on around her.

Lugh was not going to move and the look in his dark eyes promised pain for the arrogant statesman if he did not get the hell away from his sister and just left them alone.

Rei's stepmother felt that they had done their duty and more than ready to leave. Her husband was being stubborn. Eventually she got her husband to see he way and together, with Rei's grandfather, the pair left leaving Lugh alone with his sister.

Then there was silence. Lugh was just seated on the bed, staring blankly at the far wall. He was still tense as a cat on fence but he was trying to relax. His long nightmare was finally over. Brighid was with him and she was safe. She was here and he would make sure that they were never apart again.

Lugh took a deep breath as he rubbed his free hand over his face. He looked down at their conjoined hands for a long moment before he kicked off his trainers and stretched out behind the sleeping girl.

Tenderly, he shifted Rei around until her body faced his. Lugh was careful as he tucked the delicate girl under his chin, using his slightly larger body to hide her from the world.

"_Meus_ Brighid," he whispered sleepily as his hold tightened on the girl in his arms as if he was afraid she would be torn from him again.

Usa was still upset with the idiot for going behind her back with Darien or for implying that motivation behind her actions was lust among other things, but she would never mad about him wanting to be with his sister.

Quietly as she could, Usa closed the door on the Martian twins, giving them this moment of peace. This maybe the last time any of them would have it.


End file.
